


The Champions' Ballad

by AncientMinister



Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Genre: Adventure, Also N shows up from time to time because why not, Because that's when they're still alive, Bickering, Breaking the Fourth Wall, Daruk is just trying to keep everyone alive and healthy, Eventual Romance, Except it actually makes sense and he serves a purpose within the story, F/M, Friendship, Humor, Let's see if I can keep them that way, Link is a kind knight, Mipha rides the line between shy wallflower and overprotective mother bear, Only in later chapters though, Pre-Breath of the Wild, Revali just doesn't care what you think, Serious character building, Switching between lighthearted and serious in the blink of an eye, The Champions deserve so much more than the game gave them, Until she does, Urbosa just doesn't care what you think, Zelda is overworked and unerappreciated, until he does
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-16
Updated: 2019-08-25
Packaged: 2020-01-14 19:31:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 17
Words: 112,024
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18482905
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AncientMinister/pseuds/AncientMinister
Summary: At last, Hyrule's greatest warriors, the Champions, have been united in the heart of the kingdom to make their epic final stand against Calamity Ganon... when he awakes, that is. Until then, they'll be busy bickering, journeying, and confessing with each other as an adorably dysfunctional family as they trek across pre-Calamity Hyrule. Made in honor of Breath of the Wild's Champions, in an effort to make them all fully-fleshed out characters like they deserve. Cross-posted from FF.Net under EyeofAmethyst07





	1. Snap!

**Author's Note:**

> WARNING: This first chapter is a novelization of the final DLC Pack 2 cutscene, so spoilers beware! If you don't want to know what happens, just go ahead and skip to the next chapter, because the rest of them will be original situations of my own planning.

"I tell ya, those formal shindigs really take it out of me."

It hadn't been more than five minutes since the Champions had been newly christened in the inauguration ceremony at Hyrule Castle, and already Daruk was shaking out his arms and cricking his neck in relief. Link, by now, was quite used to the Goron's company. As such, he knew that there were two things Daruk excelled at: melee combat, and eating. Anything else, such as the ability to stand still for an extended period of time, was relegated to "hopeless". Regardless, Link smiled internally at the rock-eater's comment.

"Hmph." The sound of Revail's voice caught everyone's attention, strangely enough. Usually, when the Rito archer began a sentence with hmph, the rest of the Champions would tune him out. This time they listened; not because of Revali, but because of the object of his _hmph_ -ing. "This is the Sheikah Slate, eh?"

"It is," replied Zelda certainly, her quiet voice following Revali's pompousness. "Apparently there are more uses for it than we originally thought. Sadly, we've yet to decipher all of its secrets." Before the Hylian princess had even finished speaking, Revali had grown bored of the Slate and unceremoniously dropped it in Mipha's hands.

While the Zora princess looked over the artifact herself, Lady Urbosa eyed Zelda warily. The two had been close friends since the time of the young girl's birth, and as such didn't miss the self-depreciating tone of her words. Zelda pushed herself too hard, in Urbosa's opinion, and blaming herself for lack of knowledge wasn't going to help anyone. _Time to distract everyone,_ though Urbosa as she leaned over Mipha's shoulder to inspect the Sheikah Slate.

"The princess showed me something strange recently," said the Gerudo warrior, glancing down at the Zora in front of her. "Somehow it can create true-to-life images." A look of childlike fascination swpet across Mipha's face at hearing that.

"Oh, wow," she gasped quietly, before moving her amber gaze upward to look at Zelda. "I would love to see it." However, Zelda's head remained tilted down in deep thought, likely still brooding over how little they knew about the Sheikah Slate. Mipha didn't want to impose, but an idea suddenly occurred to her and she just couldn't help herself.

"Um, princess…" began Mipha uncertainly, although she became reassured as Zelda lifted her gaze to listen. "May I ask a special favor of you?" Mipha turned around as she spoke, glancing at the other Hylian behind her; Link, who'd still been talking Daruk.

The Hylian Champion seemed surprised that Mipha was looking at him, and the Zora princess forced her expression to remain neutral despite how adorable he looked. _Concentrate, Mipha,_ the Zora scolded herself. _You still haven't asked for that favor._

Mipha did her best to tear her gaze away from Link without showing too much reluctance, although she thought she heard a satisfied _hmm…_ come from Urbosa's direction. "If it isn't asking for too much," continued Mipha, still nervous and barely able to meet Zelda's gaze. "I was wondering if we could use the Sheikah Slate to create a true-to-life image of us?" Revali rolled his emerald eyes and leaned down to Mipha.

"We can't afford to waste valuable resources on your little romantic fantasies, my dear," said the Rito in a quiet voice, a smirk drawing his beak open. Mipha's eyes widened as her face burned a bright red, frantically looking between Zelda, Revali, and Link.

"I-I-I did not mean just _us,"_ Mipha sputtered out, red humiliation still surrounding her face. Actually, that was what she meant, but Revali made it sound so ridiculous, and his confidence made _her_ feel so ridiculous… "I, um, I-I wanted an image of _all_ of us. Not just of me and L—um, yes. Of all of us." Zelda's expression brightened a little; not exactly a true smile, but it was better than before. Although, Mipha sure was acting strangely… A similar smile stretched Urbosa's face, and Daruk grinned likewise.

"Sounds like a great idea, Mipha!" announced the Goron Champion, pumping his fists. "Nothin' better to celebrate this honor than by making a painting of it! Or, uh… however the Slate does its thing." Zelda smiled at Daruk's enthusiasm before looking back at the other princess.

"I'm certain that could be arranged," Zelda affirmed with a short nod. "I'll need to check with Purah, as she probably can adjust the settings to get all of us at once…"

/-\\-/-\\-/-\\-/-\

"All right. This spot should work nicely!" Purah's smile was impossibly wide as she hefted the Sheikah Slate, focusing it on the five Champions with Zelda wedged between them all. "Keep your eyes on the Sheikah Slate, everyone!" The researcher's perky voice continued chirping commands at the six most important people in all of Hyrule like they were little lapdogs.

"Daruk, can you crouch down a bit?" she asked, peeking over the Slate for a moment. "You're as big as Death Mountain." The Champion grunted in confusion for a moment before obeying the Sheikah girl.

"What's with the glum face, princess?" whined Purah, glancing at Zelda. "Gimme a big smile!" While Urbosa laid a reassuring hand on Zelda's back, Mipha was busy trying not to asphyxiate herself through tension. She was just _so close_ to Link, and she wanted to get closer, but also didn't want to seem too forward… oh, what a dilemma she faced! Mipha wasn't even focused on the picture anymore; just her tantalizing proximity to Link. _IshouldstayputIshouldstayputmaybeIcanmovejustabitcloserokayI'lldoit!_ Still as stiff as a Forest Dweller's Spear, Mipha inched a bit closer to Link while everyone was looking at Zelda.

Well… almost everyone. Revali was staring off to the side at anything but his brothers and sisters in arms. Much to his dismay, however, Purah did not miss his lack of amicableness.

"Revali, move your tail closer to the group," Purah scolded. Revali rolled his eyes and let out an annoyed groan.

"Ugh, fine," huffed the Rito archer, reluctantly scooting closer to the group. He did all he could to avoid Urbosa's eyes, because he could practically _feel_ the smug smirk she was giving him. The Gerudo woman could be insufferable at times…

"Mipha, you look so tense," Purah said, sympathy lacing her words. "Deep breaths, okay?" The Zora spearwoman let out a flustered "right!" and placed her hands on her chest, trying to force herself to stay calm and not succumb to a nervous breakdown. From across the group, Revali smirked at Mipha's discomfort. He found her so amusing when she was being so pathetically obvious about her feelings towards the Hylian Champion. Even more amusing was the fact that the Hylian was an unfeeling creature that never emoted and would never reciprocate. Ever.

Thankfully, Purah's inane sense of perfectionism was finally sated. "Stay just like that!" she chirped cheerfully, adjusting the Sheikah Slate once again. "Here we go! Smiiiile…" As Purah's finger descended on the button, she saw a devious grin split Daruk's face. "Click, snap!~" Just as the words left her mouth, Daruk wrapped the entire group into a huge hug, nearly knocking over Revali. Link's normally vacant face changed to one of surprise. While Zelda leaned away from the collapsing Revali, Urbosa seemed practically unaffected, a confident smile/smirk still tugging at her lips. Mipha, poor girl, suffered nearly the same fate as Revali… but Daruk's impact sent her flying straight into her favorite Hylain's chest.

Purah was giggling to herself as she watched the aftermath. Urbosa rubbed Zelda's shoulders reassuringly, no doubt telling the girl something heartwarming. Revali, meanwhile, was indignantly trying to intimidate Daruk, who was too busy laughing to care. Mipha, on the other hand, was looking anywhere but Link's eyes, her face the same color as a Big Hearty Radish as Link looked her over with a bit of concern, which was only adding to the flustered Zora's blush.

_Maybe Calamity Ganon will awake,_ Purah thought to herself as she stared at the picture. _And maybe we won't be able to control the Guardians in time. Maybe this is all for nothing._ The Sheikah girl smiled fondly as she looked up at the bickering/infatuated/caring/confused/laughing Champions.

_But, as long as these good friends are together, protecting Hyrule will be a snap!~_


	2. Taking a Hit, Then Taking the Fall

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Slight warning for drinking in this chapter? It's really just used as an excuse to start Revali and Urbosa off on each other.

"Ugh… how did I get myself into this…?"

Revali was in the Castle Town tavern, waiting for a highly-trained Gerudo badass to walk through the door and tear him apart. After the whole debacle with the group photo or whatever those images were called (Urbosa had been so kind to refer to it as the Snap Incident), Revali had gotten ruffled up over getting a pounding on the back by Daruk…

_"What was that for, you mindless oaf?" asked the Rito Champion, anger rising in his voice. Daruk, much to Revali's dismay, wasn't even listening to him to begin with. The jolly Goron was too occupied with grinning and causing major avalanches in the Hebra Mountains with his raucous laughter. Giving an indignant scoff, Revali had spun around in a fit of anger, bringing him face-to-face with Urbosa, who's just finished talking to Princess Zelda. The Gerudo swordswoman's face still held the remnants of a fond smile, but it quickly faded as she placed a hand on her hip._

_"What's the matter, Revali?" she asked, amused tone in her voice. "Is the pompous Cucco incapable of taking a hit?" Revali narrowed his emerald eyes at his fellow Champion, thoroughly annoyed by her mocking tone. Surely his presence demanded more respect! He was the most important Champion! Wasn't it enough that he'd almost been forced to eat dirt by Daruk? Did he have to suffer Urbosa's antics, as well?_

_"Taking hits is against the point, Urbosa," sniffed Revali haughtily, turning his head away in an attempt to seem indifferent. "An archer's prowess, grace, and range ensures that he never takes a hit. He's never close enough for it to even matter." Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Urbosa's smirk widen into a playful grin._

_"Oh, so you can't take a hit, is that what you're saying?" she asked, mischief hanging off the tip of her tongue. "The brave, mighty, courageous Master Revali can't take a friendly pat on the back from a Goron?"_

_"That was NOT a pat on the back," Revali complained, being picky for the sake of his pride. "That was an underhanded sucker punch, and an insult to my pride. Besides, me taking hits is out of the question, given that I'd never get hit in the first place." Urbosa laughed heartily, shaking her head and massive mane of crimson hair. Revali marveled at how a supposedly great and serious leader could possibly be so immature at times._

_"No, that was Daruk being Daruk," Urbosa said, humor still on her full lips. "You want an insult to your pride? Try this on for size, Revali." The Rito in question narrowed his eyes, bracing himself as the slightly-taller Gerudo leaned over so she was at eye-level with him, a sadistic grin splitting her face._

_"You're a sniveling little Cucco who can't take a hit, a joke, or a hint." Revali's quick-to-fire rage ignited, a scowl slashing across his beak._

_"Why don't we settle this to see who's actually right, Lady Urbosa?" offered Revali, eager to put the Gerudo woman in her place. Honestly, it was like she deliberately was trying to incite his anger, and just the idea that she was provoking him on purpose was enough to fuel his rage even further._ As if I don't get enough flack from the rest of the world... __

_"Meet me at_ The Prancing Lynel _tonight at sundown," Revali said, crossing his wings and throwing his head back. "I'll prove to you that I can take a hit from a point-blank Ice Arrow." A flicker of confusion crossed the Gerudo woman's face._

_"You'll take a strike from an Ice Arrow... in a tavern?" she asked, tilting her head in what would have been an innocent gesture if she didn't have the mile-long grin on her face._ I swear that insufferable woman is enjoying this too much. _"I'm not quite sure why we'd have to do that in a bar. I could do you the favor right now."_

_"Why would that be a problem?" Revali asked tauntingly, taking a chance and poking at her twisted sense of humor. "Why not take the opportunity to embarrass me in public?"_

_Revali praised himself as Urbosa smirked at his comment._ I see she took the bait, _he thought._ She has no idea what I'm planning, does she? The Rito watched as Urbosa turned around and, in what was to become her signature pose, tossed her head back to glance at Revali as she spoke.

"I look forward to plucking you, my feathery friend." Revali roled his eyes and tried for a confident smirk himself.

"Don't count on it, Urbosa."

/-\\-/-\\-/-\\-/-\

Urbosa was excited by the prospect of beating his head in. Revali could tell that just from the way she walked into the Prancing Lynel tavern. The Gerudo sauntered over to him, smirk spreading her lips wide as she nonchalantly strode across the pub, drawing a few glances from the tables she passed. It didn't take long for her to locate the Rito marksbird and take a seat in an adjacent barstool.

"So?" she asked casually, as though they'd met here as friends and not under the threat of bodily harm. "Where's your bow? If I can't shoot this Ice Arrow, I suppose I could resort to stabbing you with it..." Playful sarcasm dripped from her every word, and it didn't take long for Revali's anger and ego to inflate simultaneously. However, he managed to force it down for the sake of it their little contest.

"You must think you're _so_ hilarious, Urbosa," he muttered with an eyeroll, shifting around to raise an eyebrow at the swordswoman, who responded in kind.

"You'd be surprised how often people say that," Urbosa said with a wink. "Now, let's stop skirting around the point. How exactly are you taking your hit tonight?" Revali smirked confidently and turned to face the counter, waving down the barkeeper.

"I could use an Ice Arrow, barkeeper," said Revali to the Hylian behind the counter, who nodded in understanding. Revali turned slightly to eye the Gerudo warrior beside him. "And another for the fine lady here." Urbosa's shock was fleeting, but Revali was quick enough to catch it regardless, feeding his already large enough ego. The swordswoman quickly recovered, however, gasping in mock surprise and placing a hand over her heart.

"My, my, Revali," said Urbosa slyly, smirk widening as their drinks were placed in front of them. "You are much too forward. I suppose I'll just have to let you down gently; I find you too obnoxious to even _consider-."_

"Will you stop it?" asked Revali testily, gritting his beak in annoyance as Urbosa laughed heartily. So, she wasn't actually all that surprised by his request after all. Shame. He thought he'd had her there for a minute, but it seemed there was no end to Urbosa's ability to turn anything into a joke.

"I simply thought that we could make this a little more interesting," Revali said calmly, grasping his drink with a wing as he composed himself. "We _both_ take hits of Ice Arrow, and see who lasts the longest. Interested?" Urbosa rolled her eyes and laughed, her mane of scarlet hair bobbing as she did so.

"I appreciate the originality of this _hit,_ my Rito friend," Urbosa said slowly, as if drawing out her words for effect, "but I'm afraid I can't take you seriously when you challenge me to a drinking contest and order _Ice Arrows."_

"What's wrong with a nice Ice Arrow or ten to take the edge off?" Revali asked, slightly indignant at Urbosa's semi-formed insult. The Ice Arrow was a drink of Rito origin, and the not-so-subtle jab from the Gerudo woman hadn't gone unnoticed.

"You Rito are all featherweights when it comes to making a _proper_ drink," Urbosa said, leaning over the counter to catch the bartender's attention and completely ignoring Revali's indignant glare. "I beg your pardon, sir, but my friend here has absolutely no taste in drinks. Would you mind giving us a pair of Noble Pursuits?" As the bartender smiled and nodded in reply, Revali felt his heart sink. _Maybe doing this was a mistake,_ thought the archer to himself. The Noble Pursuit was perhaps the most famous drink in Hyrule, if only because it was so potent. In fact, it was so potent that Zora's Domain had banned the beverage from sale there. Needless to say, Urbosa had proposed a fairly large difficulty spike that his pride wouldn't allow him to turn down... and something told him that Urbosa was well versed in the art of downing a Noble Pursuit.

"If you have to down ten drinks to 'take the edge off'," Urbosa continued once their new drinks were set in front of them, "then you're doing something wrong. Now, drink up." Without any hesitation, both Champions downed their drinks in a matter of seconds. The exotic tang of Hearty Durian, crushed ice, and Voltfruit was welcoming, but Revali still preferred the Ice Arrow's signature sting of Cool Safflina and Chillshroom. The bartender soon came to refill their drinks, and Urbosa leaned against the bar, propping her head up with one arm and staring at the Rito mischievously.

"I hope you're ready to settle in for the long haul, Master Revali," said the Gerudo foxily. "It's been ages since I've been beaten in a contest such as this." Revali huffed at her arrogance, and tossed his head in annoyance at his fellow Champion's confidence. _Insufferable woman._

"We'll see who'll be standing at the end," Revali said, eyes narrowed. "You won't be so cocky when you're staggering back to the Castle in a drunken haze."

Urbosa just grinned. "Never doubt a Gerudo's ability to down a Noble Pursuit, my fellow Champion," she said foxily. "I fear _you_ may be the one blinded by alcohol when the evening is through, if you've yet to hear of my reputation." Revali's response was immediate, having already planned for a wit-sparring session with the prideful Gerudo.

"Is that so?" asked the Rito with feigned innocence, looking at Urbosa with a comically tilted head and exaggerated wide eyes. "How scandalous must it be for such a respected figurehead to have such a reputable experience with being intoxicated?" Urbosa laughed earnestly, and the hearty sound was oddly clear and pure considering the archer's statement. Revali hadn't exactly meant his comment to be taken as a joke; he was honestly curious as to what the pubic opinion was over the leader of one of Hyrule's races being well-known for _drinking,_ of all things.

"You honestly think anyone cares about my occasional drink?" Urbosa asked, her silvery laugh lingering in her voice. "My tribe doesn't allow a single voe to behold the inside of our city, and those who try are forcibly escorted out by spearpoint. Drinking contests are the last thing anyone cares about." Revali huffed, grudgingly realizing that his companion had a bit of a point. Still, he wasn't about to outright _admit_ that, and instead opted to steer the conversation a slightly different direction.

"Why _do_ you people seem to have such a bias against males?" Revali asked, the minor amounts of drink in his system not letting him realize how provocative this question was. "What'd we ever do to you?" Thankfully, the drink in _Urbosa's_ system allowed her to answer said question without getting offended.

"You have to remember that Hyrule legend identifies the last Gerudo male to be born as Ganon himself," Urbosa said with a bitter chuckle, somewhat talking to her now-empty mug. "You'd understand how we struggle to distance ourselves from _that_ particular legacy."

"That'd only speak for kicking out male _Gerudo,_ though," Revali pointed out as both their drinks were topped off, taking a quick sip before he continued. "What about the rest of Hyrule? Surely your Ganon paranoia doesn't run _that_ deep, does it?" Urbosa closed her eyes and shook her head, although whether this gesture was directed at him or at herself Revali was unsure. A certain mellowness had befallen the usually casual and nonchalant Gerudo Champion, and this sharp change in demeanor surprised the Rito archer by no small amount. _Who knew she was capable of being more than a smirking nuisance?_

"It's something voe can't understand," Urbosa said eventually, a quiet temper in her voice that was almost immediately drowned by a long drink. "To be fair, I'm not entirely sure us vai understand it either. It's a part of our heritage, discriminatory or not, and I think many of my people would be sad to see it go if only because of our connection to generations past." What might have been received as a wise musing in sobriety was partially lost to Revali's slowed-down rate of thought. As such, there was only one logical response to make.

"So what you're saying is that you have no clue why you kick out men?"

"Absolutely."

The two of them laughed; although it was a warm joviality borne from alcohol, it was a joviality that was welcome to both of them regardless. Revali looked down at his glass, confused for a half-second as to how it magically filled itself up before remembering that there was someone paid to do exactly that. Did that make it his third? Or fourth? And how many had Urbosa downed? _Well, who cares? I'll still pull out a win in this little contest,_ Revali reassured himself as he began working at his latest refill, meeting Urbosa's jade eyes with prideful competition surging in him. _Besides, I'll be able to tell when enough's enough. I don't have to worry about this getting out of hand at all._

It may have just been the archer's intoxicated imagination, but he swore he saw an eager grin split Urbosa's face as the two stared each other down.

/-\\-/-\\-/-\\-/-\

"I told youze, I c'n walk b'myself!"

"No you can't, you insufferable Rito."

Urbosa honestly didn't know whether to chuckle at the wasted archer or roll her eyes. They hadn't been more than three drinks into their challenge when Revali had started to get woozy, almost falling off his stool several times. A few drinks and poorly-sung hymns later, and Urbosa had decided to call it a night, for the sake of Revali's pride and everyone else's ears. _Dear Hylia, that poor Cucco simply ,_ cannot _sing in tune to save his life..._ Not wanting to make too much of a scene, Urbosa departed in the most subtle way she could imagine; standing, unceremoniously slinging the Rito Champion over her shoulder, and walking out of the tavern.

_Okay, perhaps not exactly subtle,_ Urbosa mentally amended, _but it's still tremendously amusing, and I believe that makes up for it._

"I'm th' greatest Champion!" slurred the Rito, head flopping limply behind Urbosa as she carried him along, the night breeze blowing away the stench of alcohol that hung off the two of them. The Gerudo woman couldn't help but grin at Revali's overconfidence. Even when completely succumbed to the effects of Hyrule's most potent alcohol, Revali was still an egotistical moblin who saw himself as the top of the world. "I culd beat'chu withm' wingz tied!" 

"You can certainly try, Revali," Urbosa said with a fond smile. Honestly, she was enjoying herself much more than she had any right to. It wasn't every day you caught the prideful Rito Champion in a moment of vulnerability, much less _drunken_ vulnerability. Urbosa knew that Revali struggled on a daily basis to get along with the rest of the Champions (especially Link), yet she also was convinced that everyone gave him a bit too much flack about his attitude. From what she'd seen so far, he wasn't quite as bad as everyone made him out to be. After all, she had managed to drag at least a neutral conversation out of him earlier in the evening, despite the fact that it was mostly the drinks' doing. Regardless, Urbosa still held a conviction that somewhere, deep within the bowels of his soul, the Rito had a heart of gold… but it was buried under ten miles of ego and pride that no one was really willing to dig through, not even her. 

_Somone will come along eventually,_ Urbosa thought to herself as she patted the mumbling Rito's leg whilst they entered Hyrule Castle. _Someone who cares enough about him to force that goodness to shine through._

"Heeeeeeeey…" drawled Revali, chuckling and giggling in a drunken fervor. "Why're youso preeeetty?" It was all Urbosa could do not to erupt in laughter at the Rito's latest rambling. She wasn't shocked by his admission in the slightest; Revali was far from the first male to complement her physique. What brought the laugh from Urbosa's lips was the fact that the normally haughty and proper Rito was making such comments to her in the first place. He seemed to struggle to even say _thank you,_ much less dole out a full-on compliment. 

"I don't know, Revali," she quipped, smirking to herself as she watched the curious stares she received from passersby. _This overgrown Cucco is going to be so be so embarrassed when he comes to tomorrow..._ "Why do _you_ think that is?" 

"Itzz b'cause you smell niiiice," mumbled Revali immediately as they rounded the last corner before they reached the hall that kept the Champions' guest quarters. "Smell liek Blue Nightshade." Urbosa couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at the Rito's remark. Liking her for her _scent_ was definitely a departure from the more carnal aspects of her physique that most other males were concerned with, one that she welcomed and was also surprised by. _Interestingly enough, I do use a Blue Nightshade conditioner when I bathe... not that he ever knew that._

"Blue Nightshade, eh?" Urbosa said curiously as she opened Revali's door and stepped inside. Not surprisingly, the room was decorated with victory wreaths, bows, and a journal sitting on a modest desk of wood. 

"Smeeeeeeell niiiice," droned Revali again, and Urbosa suddenly froze as she felt _something_ poking around in her mane of scarlet hair. Easygoing and teasing the Gerudo may have been, but she did have boundaries, and messing with her excellently-maintained flow was one such boundary. With a grunt, the Amazonian warrior flipped the Rito over her shoulder and slammed him onto his bed, making it _creak_ and _groan._ Revali groaned unhappily as well, but Urbosa had lost most of her joviality by that point and thought that the Rito deserved it. _That'll teach you to stick your beak where it doesn't belong..._

Urbosa shook her head and gave a tired sigh as she glanced down at the already-asleep archer. Many confusing thoughts had swarmed her that evening in the tavern, and not all of them made sense in her slightly alcohol-addled mind. Revali had acted somewhat civilized with her during their conversation, but the entire challenge had only ever started because of his blustering pride an unnecessarily defensive attitude. _It would help if he made sense for once,_ Urbosa eventually decided, not realizing that she had become just as much an enigma to Revali as he was to her. 

After watching over him for a few seconds more, Urbosa shook her head once again and left the room without another word. 

/-\\-/-\\-/-\\-/-\ 

The next morning, Revali anxiously knocked on Urbosa's door, wringing his wings together. He didn't remember very much about the evening before beyond the first two drinks, and he was _extremely_ concerned about his potential future well-being. If he'd overstepped any boundaries in his drunken haze… Revali shuddered to think what horrific things would happen should Urbosa direct her fury at him. He'd certainly not like to be on the receiving end of one of her trademark lightning bolts... 

Then the door opened, and Revali was met with the tired face of Urbosa. "What is it, Revali?" she asked, exhaustion in her voice. 

"I came to formally apologize for my conduct last night, Lady Urbosa," said the Rito, forcing the words through his rapidly confining throat. _I should never have to apologize to her,_ he thought to himself with a concealed frown, _but she'll probably destroy me if I don't. Ugh._ Urbosa picked up on his reluctance, and wove a tired smirk onto her countenance. 

"Oh?" she asked with false surprise, and Revali felt an inadvertent chill of unease slip down his spine. "Why should the mighty Revali ever have to apologize to insignificant little me?" The Rito in question bit back a scathing reply and forced himself to remain civil. _This is for my own good, this is for my own good, this is for my own good..._

"I do not recall much of last night," Revali said firmly, no matter how rancid the words tasted in his beak. "As such, I wanted to offer my apologies if I happened to… overstep my bounds at all. Or something of the like." Urbosa chuckled and massaged her temples, leaning against the doorway. Despite having apparently just rolled out of bed, she still looked just as well-kept as she had the night prior. _I'm not quite sure why I noticed that._

"The closest you came to overstepping your bounds was trying to shove your beak into my hair," Urbosa said, grinning as she eagerly analyzed Revali's reaction. Said Rito almost choked on his breath as his brain processed her statement. His hopes of getting in and out with a hasty apology and his dignity had just dove into Death Mountain with twenty Cuccos strapped to them. 

"I did _what?"_ Revali sputtered, almost falling over as Urbosa gave a hearty laugh. _Why does she enjoy watching me suffer so much?_

"My hair smells like Blue Nightshade, apparently," Urbosa said, obviously reveling in her fellow Champion's discomfort as she flipped a loose strand of hair over her shoulder to further make a point. "According to you, that's what makes me pretty." It was all Revali could do to not die of embarrassment as Urbosa tried desperately to contain her laughter. _She's enjoying this far more than she should._

"Well, um, thank you for your… kindness… Lady Urbosa." Revali was doing all he could to hide his rapidly heating face. However, his face was heating up _only_ because of his embarrassment, and definitely _not_ because he actually thought that her hair actually did smell rather pleasant. 

… really. 

His embarrassment now having come full-circle, Revali took the break in the conversation as his cue to leave, dashing over to his door while trying not to seem too humiliated or desperate. He had just opened the door when he heard Urbosa speak from her doorway. 

"Oh, Revali?" 

The Rito archer stopped in place, dreading whatever would come from her mouth next. 

"I think you smell very nice as well." 

Urbosa's hearty laughter echoed through the morning halls as a flustered Revali slammed his door shut. 


	3. Prep 'N Planning

"So, what are ya plannin' on doing for Dinsday, little guy?" Daruk stopped his training exercise for a few seconds, setting Boulder Breaker down to glance at the Hylian beside him. "Already got your gift shopping out of the way?" Link finished decimating the training dummy in front of him before relaxing his stance and nodding in response. Daruk grinned and pounded the Hylian on the back, almost making him fall over.

"That's the spirit!" he said with a hearty chuckle, picking up his weapon again and hefting it over his shoulder. The Goron sighed and shook his head as he shifted into a battle stance. "I know I've still got to get some of that done," admitted the stone-eater with a touch of guilt as they both resumed their exercises. "I just don't always know what to get everyone, ya know? D'you ever feel like that, little brother? Ya just don't know what to do for that one person you _really_ like?"

Daruk was intently watching the Hylian, carefully gauging his reaction to his less-than-innocent question. A satisfied grin cracked his face as he watched Link's timing hitch on his last swing, sending him a bit off balance. The Hylian Champion tried to shrug it off, but the tinge of red at the tips of his pointy ears betrayed him. Daruk laughed, and Link did his best to keep the red from spreading any further.

"There's no shame in admitting it, little guy, it happens to all of us!" Daruk gave Link another reassuring "pat" on the back. "Like me! I'll admit right now, I don't really know what to get the Princess." Link stopped his training routine for a minute to look at Daruk, watching his pensive face. Was the Goron insinuating that…?

"I mean, she's kinda like our _boss,_ right?" asked the Goron, oblivious to his companion's staring as he scratched his head. "I never know what to get a boss for Dinsday. It'd kinda look like kissing up… but not getting one would be kind of rude, don'cha think?" Link sighed in relief and shook his head, glad that the Goron hadn't been thinking what Link had. _Goddesses,_ would that have been embarrassing.

"So, what're you getting Mipha?"

Link almost impaled himself mid-swing as Daruk laughed.

/-\\-/-\\-/-\\-/-\

From up on a balcony, Rito Champion Revali and Princess Zelda watched the two sparring partners below as they periodically chatted, trained, and laughed. Well, Daruk did most of the laughing and chatting, as it were.

"Look at those two," Revali scoffed haughtily, glancing at the Princess beside him. "Dinsday is tomorrow and the only thing they can think to do is whallop on motionless scarecrows. Shameful." Zelda frowned herself and nodded, linking her hands together as she stared down at the pair… though at one in particular.

"I'd be inclined to agree with you, Master Revali," Zelda said firmly, not taking her eyes off of Link. "However, I feel that my Hylian Champion requires all the training he can get if he wants to… catch up to the others' level of skill." A small smile came to Zelda's face as she heard Revali's approving chuckle.

_"That_ is certainly true," Revali said, a comfortable smugness in his tone. "I know it's not my place to argue, but I don't quite understand why the Goddesses chose _him_ of all people to draw that little darkness-sealing sword." Zelda's expression hardened once again, as she despised Link just as much as Revali did.

"It is truly shameful," she said tightly, trying to keep too much bitterness to creep into her voice, "that the Goddesses should choose someone who has worked so little to get where he is now." Revali snorted his agreement.

"Of course," he scoffed, crossing his wings. "Not all of us are blessed by the Goddesses. _Some_ of us had to work tirelessly to earn our skills, not have them bestowed upon us." Both parties shared a small chuckle to themselves, completely in agreement with each other. A female voice then spoke from behind them.

"I'm glad to see you both have such a high opinion of me."

Rito and Hylian alike whirled around, panic seizing both their hearts as they located the speaker, who was leaning casually against the balcony's archway; Urbosa. Zelda relaxed slightly at seeing her mother-figure, while Revali's blood ran cold. The Rito was still sensitive about the whole… _incident_ … that had happened at the tavern, and knowing Urbosa she was just waiting for an opportunity to tease him about it.

The Gerudo chief stepped forward, her heels clicking against the stone floor eerily. "I know you speak of the voe," Urbosa said calmly, crossing her arms and meeting Zelda's gaze intently, "but you should think against making such broad statements in the future, for fear of insulting others." Zelda averted her eyes in shame but Revali, unsure of what the Gerudo was getting at, scoffed and linked his wings behind his back.

"What _others_ have been as fortunate as him?" Revali sneered, glaring at the Gerudo woman. "Even if they do exist, what reason should I have to respect _them_ anymore than I do the Hylian?" A bitter smile tugged at Urbosa's lips, and unbidden reminiscences of her expression in the tavern from the night before invaded Revali's still-indignant mind.

"For starters," she said, meeting Revali's stare evenly, _"I_ am such a person." The initial shock of Urbosa's comment quickly faded from Revali's mind as it was promptly replaced by disbelief.

_"You_ have the blessing of the Goddesses?" Revali scoffed, rolling his eyes at her obvious ploy. "Is there a fourth Triforce we aren't aware of?" Zelda shook her head silently at the Rito, trinyg to warn him against inciting Urbosa's fury, but the annoyed bird paid the Princess no mind. Urbosa's response started with an empty chuckle, and the sound sent an unwitting chill down his spine.

"Glad to see you're still an insolent heap of sand seal droppings, Revali," said the Gerudo in a voice of false humor. "As a matter of fact, my ancestors have been blessed as the rightful rulers of the Gerudo tribe since far before our time. My family has brought justice, swift victory, and peace to my people and much of Hyrule." Urbosa closed the distance between the two Champions, her pointed nose inches from Revali's beak. The Rito steeled his gaze and held his breath, not wanting to risk getting a whiff of Urbosa's hair after the tavern snafu. However, there was no teasing intent or playful undertone to the Gerudo's eyes; now they were desolate wastelands, and the normally confident Revali felt his blood chill a few degrees more. _She certainly appears like a different person than the one who sat with me at the bar..._

"So," Urbosa said simply, not breaking their held gazes. "Answer me this, _Master Revali…"_ Urbosa moved a step closer, but Revali refused to back down. He did his best not to flinch (or inhale) as Urbosa literally shoved her nose in his face. A tense silence radiated between the deadlocked Champions, and Revali's uncertainly angry emerald eyes battled against Urbosa's steadfastly righteous jade irises. "… do you respect me?"

The silence between the Champions chilled the very air, neither one backing down from the other. Blunt annoyance met with sharpened anger, and each could feel the other's breath given their proximity. They remained like that, rage sparring with irritability, for a minute that felt like an eternity. Finally realizing that she wasn't going to receive an answer, Urbosa scoffed under her breath and whirled around, stomping on one of Revali's feet with her heels, coaxing a yelp of pain from the Rito as he examined his aching foot.

"I thought you had another side to you, Revali," Urbosa remarked quietly, almost to herself. "You've no idea how disappointed I am to be proven wrong." Without another word, the imposing Gerudo strutted away, and a repentant and uneasy Zelda followed in her footsteps quickly.

_Another side to me?_ wondered Revali in indignant shock as he continued to stare at the newly vacated space in front of him, the lingering scent of Nightshade not doing him any favors. _Just how ignorant and one-sided does this Gerudo annoyance think I am?_

Growling under his breath, and unwlling to consider any argument but his own in his anger, Revali turned towards the balcony's edge, summoned an updraft, and soared into the sky. Even though the Rito knew he was in the right about his little spat with Urbosa, something about the conversation had unnerved him. It had hit far too close to home, and the debate had veered dangerously close to toppling a very central support pillar of Revali's life; that, no matter what else, the one thing no one would be able to take from him was his unmatched effort in pushing himself to be better while everyone else got things easy. It almost seemed obsurd that someone else could possibly have suffered a similar struggle as him. The world had already made it clear that Revali was one of a kind, in just as many bad ways as there were good.

In times of such confusion, denial, and anger, the only solace any Rito could find was the endless sky, and that's where Revali was headed.

/-\\-/-\\-/-\\-/-\

"I am terribly sorry, Lady Urbosa," Mipha said quietly, looking up at her fellow Champion with concern. "How are you faring?" Urbosa shook her head as she paced back and forth in Mipha's room, just having lamented to the Zora princess about her argument with Revali. She tried for a casual smile, but Mipha could tell it was forced, and so could Urbosa.

"I am faring well, thank you," Urbosa muttered under her breath, still pacing heatedly. "I simply cannot _stand_ that arrogant mound of putrid Molduga droppings! Why must he be so infuriating all the time?" Mipha grimaced at the Gerudo's anger and sighed quietly. Infighting was something the Zora was no stranger to—being siblings with Sidon was preparation enough for that—but that didn't mean she despised it any less. Unfortunately for her, some people seemed to be destined to never be able to tolerate each other.

"I believe that Master Revali is beginning to see you as a threat," said Mipha eventually, wringing her hands together to ease her sudden bout of nerves. While she often prided herself on her ability to empathize, Mipha rarely ever actually _shared_ her opinions on such empathizing aloud for others to hear. She didn't have a messiah complex, and, in her mind, it was better for people to solve their own problems. however, things were different when the kingdom's safety was on the line. Regardless, Urbosa seemed to be at least mildly intrigued as she quirked an eyebrow, slipping a hand to her hip in disbelief.

"Really?" asked the Gerudo, tilting her head in curiosity. "What makes you say that?" Mipha fidgeted with her fingers for a while, calculating how far in depth she should go. Ideally, explaining everything thoroughly would be the best course of action, but Mipha felt uneasy about trying to completely reform Urbosa's stance; instead, she opted for a slightly more diluted version.

"Well…" Mipha bit her lip uncertainly, averting her eyes from her fellow Champion. "After the events of today on the balcony… and based on what transpired at the tavern several days ago…" Urbosa's lips curled upwards in amusement, and Mipha felt her face heat up in soon-to-manifest embarrassment. _That look on her face absolutely_ screams _mischief..._

"You've heard about that?" Urbosa said playfully. "I never knew meek, shy little Mipha was one to listen in on juicy castle gossip. My, my, what an interesting development." Mipha's face flushed a darker shade of red, and she had trouble meeting the Gerudo's gaze as she laughed heartily. Thankfully, it didn't take long for the Zoran Princess to use Urbosa's comment to further illustrate the point she'd been making.

"Lady Urbosa," Mipha muttered softly, "that might be your problem." Urbosa's eyebrow raised yet again, and she silently implored the Princess to continue. "Um… I think that your relentless teasing of Master Revali is causing the unease between you." Urbosa scoffed and tossed her head, mane of head hair bobbing as she scowled.

"If that Cucco is squawking his head off because he can't handle some prods at his ego," Urbosa muttered, "then he shouldn't be a Champion." Mipha's lips twitched in an attempt at a smile, but she couldn't quite pull it off. This was a serious affair, after all.

"Think of it from his point of view," Mipha urged, standing up to further make her point. "Master Revali has spent his life idolized and praised for his skill and prowess with the bow. Now, when asked to serve the entire kingdom with said skills, he is met with a companion who does nothing but put him down and tease him relentlessly." Urbosa groaned and rolled her eyes, and Mipha withheld another sigh. It seemed Urbosa was still struggling to comprehend...

"I'm not about to excuse his temper tantrums," Urbosa said. "If he can't take teasing like a grown Rito, then I don't see what he's doing here. I don't care if he's spent his whole life showered with love; the real world is _not_ like that." Mipha shook her head, red fins and jewelry clinking softly.

"You are missing the point," said the Princess, spreading her arms amicably. "Yes, Master Revali's behavior is inexcusable for a person of his caliber. But he acts that way simply because he knows no better. I believe that, to get him to come around, you must ease up on him. Allow him to get comfortable around others, and yourself, before ragging on him further." Urbosa was silent for a long while, hanging her head and shaking it back and forth. Occasionally, she would scoff and shake her head, pace a few steps, then stop again. Eventually, the Gerudo simply sighed in a defeated manner.

"I apologize, Mipha," Urbosa drawled tiredly, rubbing her temples and pausing her pacing. "I should not have burdened you with my personal issues." Mipha smiled, and grew so bold as to lay a reassuring hand on the Gerudo's arm.

"It is no problem, Lady Urbosa," Mipha said quietly, a nervous smile on her lips. "I understand how one sometimes needs to vent their emotions in the presence of others. I am just grateful that I was able to help." A devious grin quickly overshadowed the pensiveness of Urbosa's face as she leaned down to be face-to-face with the young Zora girl. Her amber eyes flickered back and forth uneasily.

"Why don't I repay you?" Urbosa said, a subtle smirk tugging at her lips. "We can talk about some of _your_ pent-up emotions now." Mipha backed away quickly and averted her gaze, having a deep suspicion that she knew where the Gerudo was going with this line of thought.

"O-oh, i-it is no problem, Lady Urbosa," Mipha stammered, turning away and pretending to occupy herself with making her waterbed. _I didn't expect the tables to be turned on me so quickly._ "W-we do not need to concern o-ourselves with—."

"How are things going with Link?"

Mipha, poor girl, was reduced to a blushing, stuttering mess by Urbosa's question. Of course, Urbosa knew of her feelings for Link, why not? First Revali after the inauguration, now Urbosa? It seemed like everyone in the entire kingdom knew of her infatuation with the Hylian Champion.

"You need to have faith in yourself, Mipha," said Urbosa, laying a reassuring hand on the Zora's shoulder in a mirror of earlier. "I've been watching you two for a long while now. I am beyond certain that he returns your feelings." Mipha's face reddened, practically disguising her face with the rest of her scaled body. Urbosa's brow flickered as she caught the Zora Princess' hesitance, realization dawning on her.

"You… know he returns your feelings?" Mipha nodded quietly, face burning brighter than a Meteor Rod. "Has he… told you this?" A shake of the head. "And you have not told him?" Another shake, this one leaving Urbosa utterly flabbergasted.

"Why not act?" Urbosa asked, leaning against the doorframe of Mipha's room as she stared down the young Zora inquisitively. "There could not possibly be any reason for you not to act. You care for him, and the inverse is true of Link. Why not?" Mipha hung her head in shame, trying to ignore her burning cheeks.

"I-I-I…" It took Mipha a minute to compose herself, breathing deeply to try and get a hold of herself. "I do not want to cause him any pain by… being with him." Urbosa's brow flickered again, until realization dawned on her face.

"This is because of his duties to Zelda, isn't it?" Urbosa said softly, and Mipha answered with a timid nod. "You are afraid that he'll forget you. Or, worse, that he'll miss you while we operate our divine beasts…" Mipha didn't respond, but the small trail of wetness that streaked down her face was answer enough, and Urbosa kneeled down to console her. The Gerudo may have just finished going on about Revali's complaining, but the poor Zora girl was trying to transcend boundaries that were never meant to be crossed in the name of love. That, in her mind, earned a bit more respect than an egotistical bird.

"Ultimately, the decision is up to you," Urbosa said quietly, lifting the Zora girl's chin to meet her gaze. "However, I would strongly suggest that you act. A short, bright love is better than an eternity of regret, wouldn't you say?" Mipha sniffled to herself, nodding her head and gazing at Urbosa gratefully.

"I-I will try," Mipha said, resolve seeping into her voice. "But I always fall to pieces whenever I'm around him…" Urbosa smiled knowingly and stood, offering a hand to the Zora, which she curiously accepted.

"Ten seconds of courage are all it takes, Mipha," said the Gerudo chieftess. "In battle, love, or recreation, it takes but ten seconds for your world to change, for better or worse. If you have the courage, I think you could spare ten seconds with Link during the Dinsday celebrations tomorrow…" With those words, Urbosa opened the door and left, leaving a blushing and uncertain Zora girl to decide her own fate.


	4. On the First Day of Dinsday

The day of celebration, reverence, and piety had arrived in Hyrule; Dinsday, one of the few celebratory days to be acknowledged by _all_ five races of Hyrule. The holiday period emphasized a giving nature, spending time with family, and a friendly relationship with all.

"Watch where you're going, you great lummox!"

Well… almost all.

Daruk glanced down at the indignant Rito, who was stumbling over his talons from his inadvertent collision with the amicable Goron. "Sorry 'bout that, Revali," said Daruk, scratching his chin and straightening his Champion's tunic. "Wasn't lookin' where I was goin'. You alright?" The Rito in question snorted, ruffling his feathers up before glaring at the Goron.

"Yes, I'm fine," he spat. "No thanks to _you."_ Daruk winced in sympathy, but he knew that the angered Rito wouldn't be satisfied by words. If anything, another apology would probably set him off again. Daruk was about to resume his stroll when he noticed that Revali looked like he was trying to hide something behind his back…

"Hey!" Revali squawked angrily as Daruk effortlessly reached over the Rito and plucked the package from his feathers. It was a modestly wrapped box, complete with bow, that was about the size of a Hylian's fist. Daruk tilted his head in confusion.

"Hey, why'd ya try to hide this, little Rito?" he asked. Revali snarled and lunged for the package, but Daruk held it high above his head while the archer kept hopping up and down, trying in vain to reach it.

"None of your business!" snapped Revali, now trying to shove Daruk down. "It's nothing!" The Goron laughed, shaking his head at the archer's futile arguing.

"It sure doesn't look like nothin'!" exclaimed Daruk, easily holding the enraged bird at bay. "Are ya sure you're not hidin' anything?" Revali scowled and summoned an updraft, soaring into the sky and snatching the parcel from Daruk's hand as he passed. Two more seconds, and the airborne Rito had disappeared around the corner of the hallway.

Daruk sighed to himself, scratching his head as he did so. It saddened him to see that Revali was still hostile to any attempts at a playful joke. If the Champions were to work together as a unit to defeat the Calamity, then they'd have to start by being able to stand being in the same room with each other. As of now, that seemed like a lot to ask.

"Daruk? Are you alright?"

Princess Zelda's voice brought Daruk from his thoughts. He grinned self-consciously as the Hylian Princess stared up at him. "I'm alright, Princess," said the hearty Goron. "Don't worry your pretty little head 'bout ol' Daruk." Zelda smiled softly, nodding graciously, and made to walk off. Daruk was about to continue on his way, when an idea suddenly occurred to him.

"Wait, Princess!" Zelda turned around, nodding for the Goron to continue. Daruk grinned and ambled over to the young girl. "I've got an idea about the celebrations that I think could really knock it out of the crater."

"What did you have in mind?" asked the Princess. Daruk told her his idea, and Zelda's smile spread wide. It certainly was an excellent idea.

"I think I have just the right person for that," Zelda said knowingly. "I'll send for him immediately. With luck, he should be able to make the journey from Kakariko by tonight for the party."

"Sounds great, Princess!" said Daruk, pumping his fists before giving a friendly wave. "Happy Dinsday!"

Zelda returned the Goron's wave with a smile. "Happy Dinsday, Daruk."

/-\\-/-\\-/-\\-/-\

_Link loved this time of year, although not for the reasons one might think. Winter was by far the Hylian's favorite season. The brisk cold made the air so crisp and perfect, and there was nothing better to a battle-worn eye than waking up and seeing once destroyed and conflicted lands covered by a blanket of pure white. It was all Link could do to keep his face the typical neutral instead of grinning like a Yiga Clan member._

_At the moment, he was on the second floor of the Sanctum, leaning over the balcony and watching the snow-covered southern horizon. A moment of peace was just what he needed…_

_"Link."_

_The Hylian Champion felt his heart stop at hearing the soft voice come from behind him. He could see her in his mind's eye: blue Champion's scarf wrapped around her torso, jewelry glinting off of her finned head, and the softest pair of amber eyes he'd ever seen…_

_Mipha._

_Link finally managed to scrape up enough courage to turn around and face the Zora princess. Her hands were clasped in front of her, and she was fidgeting so badly it looked like she was trying to swim up a non-existent waterfall. Her eyes flickered all over the place, from her feet, to Link's eyes, then to a random place on the ceiling, and back again. She'd never seemed more nervous._

_So, in summary; falling to pieces, just like Link was._

_Despite his nerves, the Hylian let a rare smile eclipse the neutrality that normally shrouded his countenance. The Zora had always been able to coax a grin out of the normally stoic Hylian. The two simply stared at each other for the longest while, neither feeling comfortable enough to make the first move yet desperately wanting to advance. Getting lost in each other's eyes, the pair felt themselves drawn closer together as if by an invisible hand. They crept closer and closer together until they practically collided with each other in a warm, passionate kiss._

_Pent up and suppressed emotions exploded into life as the two deepened their kiss, each Champion fighting for dominance with each other. Surprisingly, Link felt himself pinned against the wall by Mipha, who groaned quietly into the kiss. Reinvigorated by his partner's excitement, Link_ woke from his slumber.

The Hylian Champion groaned, rubbing his eyes in exhaustion as he sat up in his bed. That was the third such dream he'd had in as many periods of sleep, and by far the most… vivid of them all. Their effects on his emotional state were rather dramatic, taking into account that Link hadn't seen Mipha since they were children. Link groaned again as he swung his feet out from under him to stand up, stretching as he did so.

_Being close to her again is distracting me,_ he thought to himself as he changed from his nightclothes into the Champion's tunic Zelda had commissioned for him. _I guess it really isn't for the worse, but still..._ Link felt very very unsure of himself being near Mipha once again after spending so much time apart. The Hylian would be lying to himself if he'd said the Zora Princess wasn't one of the reasons he found the strength to crawl out of his bed every morning to face the world and uphold his duties.

The two had been best of friends since childhood, after all; they'd done practically everything together, and each of them had always hated the idea of being separated from the other. As children, they'd never even considered their affections anything beyond friendship. Now, though… now things were getting complicated.

Keeping his facade of stoicism up was harder with Mipha around, he had noticed. During his training in the Hylian Knight's Academy, being the youngest boy in a group of highly-trained men did not do him any favors. He would always be discriminated against because of his youth, and a few particularly racist soldiers would pick on him because of his time spent with the Zora during his childhood. Even at the end of his patience, Link was generally a very passive person, but when the insults had become less about him and more about his childhood friends, the boy had been pushed to a point of rage he'd never seen in his life before. After being asked by a particularly rowdy soldier twenty years his elder if he knew what "sleeping with the fishes" meant (in a rather provocative tone), Link had snapped and attacked the armed man bare-knuckled.

The soldier spent the next six months recovering in the infirmary, and insults came about with much less frequency.

Link had learned from that experience (and though much trial and error) that the best response to the cruel remarks was to simply not give one, to hold his head high, and to trudge on in his exercises with the rest of them. He retreated into himself, silencing his youthful voice and keeping a lid on any rampant emotions that threatened to ruin his facade. Training had become his existence, and duty became the reason Link rolled out of bed in the morning, not his friends or family. Even after his graduation and appointment as Zelda's knight, he still held his silence. Eventually, the silent-protagonist act stopped beng just an act and started becoming who he truly was.

Seeing Mipha again had changed everything. Her presence pried away at his defensive barrier, begging and pleading him throw down his conflict and sorrows and to return to how he used to be; a lighthearted, jovial boy who tackled life with such courage and energy that he could put a smile on even the most hardened veterans' faces.

Link sighed heavily as he went to walk out of his room and escort Zelda to the Dinsday festivities. _I guess I'll just have to see how this goes,_ Link consoled himself as he closed the door behind him, locking it. _Though, I suppose things will never get too catastrophic so long as I have Mipha near me..._

/-\\-/-\\-/-\\-/-\

Mipha knew that Hylians would celebrate Dinsday differently than the Zora would; that was to be expected, since their cultures were vastly different. However, walking into the Hyrule Castle's dining hall and having her ears met with accordion music, of all things, was most definitely _not_ what she'd had in mind.

Over the din of the bustling dining crowd, Mipha could hear a somewhat-melodious voice come from the east fireplace. Glancing over, she saw a Sheikah bard holding a gleaming and ornamented accordion, bellowing at the top of his lungs and encouraging the crowd to sing along. Mipha had never been the best judge of music, but from her uneducated ears, she guessed that the song was nearing its end. She had nothing much better to do, so she leaned against the far wall and listened to the raucous song.

_"On the twelfth day of Dinsday, the Goddess blessed me with…_

_Twelve Hyrule regions,_

_Eleven archers arching,_

_Ten stones illuminous,_

_Nine Yiga sneaking,_

_Eight Guardians stalking,_

_Seven Koroks hiding,_

_Six Lynels crushing,_

_Fiiiive Champioooooons!_

_Four Fariy Fountains,_

_Three winding labyrinths,_

_Two Royal Guards,_

_And a Cucco in the Lost Woods!"_

The song ended with a loud flourish, before the assembled audience applauded loudly, erupting into cheering. Mipha couldn't help herself and giggled, clapping along with the crowd as the grateful bard took a few bows before walking away. As things settled down once again, King Rhoam cleared his throat and asked for everyone's silence.

"Thank you for attending our Dinsday celebrations, everyone," said the King, receiving polite applause. "If you will all take your seats, we'll begin the feast immediately." The patrons began talking amongst themselves as they went to find their seats. Mipha began to move as well, but Rhoam called out again.

"One more thing!" he shouted, catching everyone's attention. "If I could have our five Champions proceed to the Sanctum? My daughter Zelda has requested that you all eat with her." A smattering of polite applause washed over the crowd again before they resumed their journeys to be seated.

Mipha's brow furrowed a little as she exited the dining hall and made for the Sanctum as requested. _A request to dine with the Princess?_ Mipha wondered to herself. _Isn't that what we normally do anyways? Still, no harm in humoring Zelda, right?_ With that in mind, Mipha nodded to herself and continued along her way—

"Oof!"

"Ack!"

… until she collided headfirst with Link, that is.

Mipha was immediately at Link's side, putting her hands on his shoulders and trying not to hyperventilate. "Link!" she squeaked. "Are you okay? I am so sorry, I should have been paying attention and I—." Mipha stuttered to a stop as she felt Link move her hands off his shoulders and instead take them in his own. A small smile graced his lips, and his face told her _don't worry, I'm fine. You don't have to apologize._

The Zora Princess felt her insides fluttering a little at both his understanding of her over-caring nature and at that fact that their hands were still joined. _Say something!_ screamed her brain. _Anything!_

"A-are you headed to the Sanctum?" _Okay, not the worst thing I could have said…_ Link nodded his agreement before looking down at their joined hands. Quick as lighting, he withdrew his hands, and Mipha swore she saw wisps of red at the tips of his ears. Before she could say anything, Link made off down the hallway, and Mipha scrambled after him.

_Why did he just move away like that?_ she wondered dejectedly. _Maybe I've been reading too deeply into things…_ Mipha was about to give up and just walk by herself when she remembered Urbosa's words about ten seconds of courage. She looked ahead, where Link was walking briskly, and without second thought jogged to catch up to him. Moving quickly so she didn't have time to talk herself out of it, Mipha caught up to Link and wordlessly slipped her hand into his as they walked.

She felt the Hylian tense, and saw him glancing over to her with confusion in his eyes. Mipha's heart was beating its way out of her chest, but in spite of that she managed to give him a warm smile. There was conflict in his expression for a brief second, as if he were debating whether or not to withdraw his hand.

Mipha almost melted into a puddle as she felt Link's hand squeeze hers in response, and the two Champions peacefully continued down the hall, each of them desperately trying to appear nonchalant despite the happy fireworks that were rocketing in both their chests.

/-\\-/-\\-/-\\-/-\

"No, go away. I don't want to deal with you right now."

Urbosa scoffed and placed a hand on her hip as she walked alongside Revali. "Sorry to disappoint, Master Revali, but we're both headed the same direction. You'll just have to suffer for the minute its takes us to get to the Sanctum." Revali groaned audibly, and it was all Urbosa could do to keep a straight face. If she were being honest with herself, Urbosa wanted nothing to do with Revali either; she'd be more than happy to let them go their separate ways until they arrived at Zelda's meetup.

Yet, Urbosa was curious to try out the advice that Mipha had given her the night prior, about letting Revali accustom himself to the group before going off on a teasing spree. So, Urbosa was trying her best to uphold a normal conversation with the Rito marksbird.

It was much harder than it sounded.

"What do you Rito do to pass the time over at your village?" asked Urbosa, glancing over to the bird in question as they walked. Said Rito's eyes narrowed with suspicion, but he responded nonetheless.

"A great many of us practice archery, much like myself," Revali said slowly, as though he were waiting for Urbosa to lunge at him. "In honor of one of my tournament victories, the village elder created a training range for all Rito to use, whether for flying, archery, or both." Urbosa nodded understandingly. The newest sand seal rally course had been recently re-designed in honor of Urbosa's slaying of a Molduga, so she understood the sentiment.

"That's very kind of you, Revali," said the Gerudo. "I'm sure your people must adore you for it." Revali's look of suspicion only deepened at hearing these words from the chieftess.

"… Sure," said the archer after a palpable silence. "They do. Among other reasons." Urbosa raised an eyebrow and smiled curiously. It felt strange, smiling at that barely-tolerable Cucco, but it wasn't an entirely horrifying experience, she had to admit.

"What other reasons might there be?" asked Urbosa, surprised to hear genuine curiosity in her voice. Her revelation was cut short by Revali moving in front of her, stopping her in place with a wing on her shoulder. Suspicion now clouded everything about the Rito's demeanor.

"What are you doing?" he asked, emerald eyes narrowed. Urbosa blinked.

"Walking to the Sanctum and chatting with a fellow Champion," said the Gerudo, confused as to why Revali was so confused. "Is it such a crime?"

"With you, it almost certainly is," Revali said seriously. "What are you trying to pull? You've spent all the time I've known you relentlessly prodding and poking at me with your words, then suddenly the holidays roll around and you're making _small talk?_ With _me?_ What's wrong with you?" It was Urbosa's turn to narrow her eyes. _Why, that insolent mound of—_

"What's wrong with _me?"_ Urbosa asked incredulously, hands instinctively going to her hips. "What's wrong with _you?_ I'm not allowed to be amicable with the mighty Revali?"

"You're allowed to," Revali said, "but that's not the point. The point is _you,_ of all people, would normally rather laugh your head off at my expense than uphold friendly conversation." Urbosa scoffed, knocking away Revali's wing from her shoulder.

"Perhaps I've made a habit of that in the past," Urbosa said, doing her best to keep a lid on her temper. Punching the Rito was a _very_ appealing course of action at that moment. "And perhaps I've made it seem like I couldn't give two bokoblin dropping about you."

"Which you don't," scoffed Revali, crossing his wings over his chest. Urbosa scowled, and she felt her fists inadvertently clench.

"How would you _possibly_ know whether or not I care about you as a comrade?"

"I know what people say about me."

"Like what? How _amazing_ an archer you are? I've heard that one _many_ times."

"Do you also hear how everyone thinks I'm a complete jerk?"

Urbosa's anger halted for a moment as she processed the Rito's words. "What?" she asked breathlessly.

While Urbosa's anger may have faded, Revali's increased tenfold as he sneered at the Gerudo. "You must think me deaf," said the Rito bitterly. "I know what people say about me. I'm egotistical, narcissistic, I only care about myself and couldn't be bothered to help anyone else if I didn't stand to benefit from it." A sardonic chuckle prefaced his next comment. "I know that everyone thinks I'm a coward trying to cover up his faults with bluster and pride."

In an odd parallel of the previous day, Revali jammed his beak right in Urbosa's face, undiluted anger and bitterness saturating his eyes, his eyes a bright, livid emerald. "I'll prove them all wrong," he said quietly, almost as if he were threatening the other Champion. "You'll see. You'll all see. I'll prove I'm not a terrible person." The anger in the archer's eyes faltered for a split second, and Urbosa could see a rare moment of vulnerability from the Rito. There was an empty sadness where furious rage had once been, and the depth of Revali's emotions shocked the Gerudo into a rare spell of speechlessness.

"A terrible person doesn't deserve to be a Champion," Revali muttered, and Urbosa suspected that the comment wasn't meant to be directed at her; it felt as though her were speaking to himself. "I cannot be a terrible person." The Rito blinked suddenly, and all the deep emotions vanished instantaneously, replaced by blank indifference. Without another word, Revali summoned an updraft and launched himself into the sky, gliding the rest of the way to the Sanctum.

Urbosa remained where she stood for a good while, until a passing guard asked her if she were feeling alright. She'd said yes, of course she was fine, and had immediately continued her journey to the Sanctum. Normally, the Gerudo warrior didn't lie to others, or herself. She was surprised to find that the reason for this particular exception to that rule was Revali.

She had a lot to think about.


	5. On the Second Day of Dinsday

Although Zelda was glad that all her Champions had shown up for the Dinsday dinner as she'd requested… she hadn't really imagined that it would be anything like this.

Link, for one, was red as a cherry, and seemed to have trouble looking to his side, where Mipha sat. The Zora Princess was occupying herself with her food, but after some observation it became obvious to Zelda that she seemed to be suffering from the same timidity that Link was. It _almost_ made Zelda gag. Almost. _Honestly, the way those two stare into each other's eyes…_

Then there was Daruk, who was happily munching on his sirloin rock roast imported from the finest mine in Goron City. Zelda supposed at least _someone_ had to uphold a sense of normalcy. Still, everyone seemed rather stable at the moment. Everyone except for Revali and Urbosa, that is.

You couldn't cut the tension with a knife. You'd have to vaporize the outer layer with a Guardian's laser shot, _then_ you'd be stuck chipping away at the diamond-hard core for weeks on end. That's how bad it was.

Urbosa was busy stabbing at her food with a vengeance, as if it had personally insulted her honor. The poor fish was gutted relentlessly, then whatever remained was in the process of being shredded. The light of anger in the Gerudo's eyes would have been enough to kill a moblin on the spot.

Revali, on the other hand, wasn't visibly upset. If anything, he seemed more upbeat than normal, smirking to himself and chuckling under his breath. Yet… there was an unsettling air that surrounded the Rito. A bubble of angst permeated throughout the room, and Zelda was becoming convinced that it had something to do with Urbosa. The two most steadfast, reliable members of their little entourage suddenly act up at the same time, and that's supposed to be a coincidence? Zelda didn't quite think so.

"That sure hits the spot!"

Daruk's shout made everyone at the table jump, drawing them from their own little worlds. "I pity the rest of ya," continued the Goron heartily, patting his stomach contentedly. "None of you chose to have real food, and instead settled for… whatever you decided to eat instead." Despite her earlier apprehensions, Daruk's hearty argument for rock roasts was enough to bring a small smile to her face.

"We're eating a Spicy Meat and Seafood Fry," Zelda informed the Goron, turning her half-eaten plate to show him. "It is made from peppers, Hyrule bass, and the finest boar's meat in the kingdom. It's a favorite dish of my father's." Daruk simply grinned and shook his head.

"All the meat in all of Hyrule doesn't stack up to a nice sirloin rock roast, Princess," guffawed Daruk. "I'm serious. You all should try some rock roast, I've got some left over."

"If you think I'm going to shovel that gravel down my throat," Revali spat, "think again. Not a chance." While the Rito occupied himself with tossing his head haughtily, Urbosa set down her fork, apparently done slaughtering her meal.

"I'm afraid I'll have to pass on that as well, my good friend," Urbosa said in a tone of false resignation. "Stone has been known to give me indigestion. I'd rather not risk it."

Mipha erupted into giggles at the Gerudo's comment, and she barely managed to draw enough air into her lungs to politely decline Daruk, who was scratching his head, somewhat puzzled by the Zora girl's reaction. Zelda smiled as well, but she didn't fail to notice that the barest ghost of a smile had crossed Link's face as Mipha laughed. It took all her self-control to not scowl. A theatrical sigh from Daruk brought the Hylian Princess from her thoughts.

"Well, I guess that leaves you, little guy!"

Link, who was sitting directly across from the Goron, nearly choked on his food, struggling to keep his surprise from killing him. Daruk simply grinned at the boy's reaction.

"A meal worthy of Champions!" exclaimed Daruk, sliding his leftovers across the table to Link, who was eyeing the platter as though it were filled with bomb arrows and not rocks. The Hylian's eyes flickered uneasily from the plate to Daruk, silently wondering if he was really expected to eat rocks. Zelda couldn't help a mischievous grin slip onto her face as she spoke up.

"Link," Zelda said haughtily, looking down her nose playfully at the other Hylian, "as your Princess, I command you to perform a diplomatic service to the kingdom for the sake of long-lasting peace with the Gorons." The young boy's face lit up, seeing an escape opportunity. "I command you to eat the sirloin." Link's face fell just as quickly as it had brightened, and Daruk laughed heartily.

"Ya don't have to force the little guy, Princess!" laughed the Goron Champion. "No sane person needs to be _forced_ to eat a rock sirloin." Zelda struggled to contain her laughter, and it was becoming clear that the other Champions were suffering the same comedic fate.

Urbosa leaned towards Link conspiratorially. "Fear not, my friend," said the Gerudo warrior in a loud whisper, "I hear that rock sirloin is packed with many essential minerals." Everyone besides Link chuckled at the comment, and Revali grabbed Daruk's huge stone utensils and tossed them towards the Hylian Champion.

"Better eat up, hero," said the Rito archer with a growing smirk. "Can't have you falling any further behind on the growth curve, can we?" Revali's poorly-veiled jab was ignored by everyone at the table because Link's response was to glare at him, pick up the remains of the sirloin (which was about the size of his fist), and shove the whole thing in his mouth.

Mipha immediately placed a concerned hand on the boy's shoulder and continued looking over the Hylian youth with worry as he tried to swallow the lump of rock. Urbosa and Revali's faces, in contrast, were priceless as they desperately tried to contain their laughter by coughing and hiding their faces behind napkins. Zelda was trying to hide her own amusement as well, because Link's face _was_ rather hilarious; all puckered up and contorted, obviously trying to hold back his disgust as he tried to down the Goron "delicacy".

A few minutes of painful attempts at chewing later, and Link was finally able to suppress his gag reflex long enough for the sirloin to slip its way down his throat. With a shuddering groan, Link collapsed back into his seat, sweat lining his brow. Mipha immediately set her hands on the knight's chest, and Zelda could make out the soft light of her healing magic. Either Link had somehow damaged his organs, or (as Mipha's cherry-red face indicated) the Zora Princess was simply taking Link's discomfort as a chance to cop a little bit of a feel.

As the healing light faded and the Champions' mirth subsided, Daruk grinned at Link. "So, whaddya think, little guy?" he asked, eager to hear his companion's opinion on his people's food. Unfortunately, Link's still-recovering throat prevented him from doing anything more than smile painfully and hope that it didn't look too forced. Thankfully for everyone's dignity, Daruk seemed to take the smile at face value and grinned widely.

"I knew you'd love it!" exclaimed the excited Champion, and Link tried for a smile that ended up looking like more of grimace. Zelda allowed herself another small chuckle before recomposing herself and getting everyone's attention at the table by ringing her glass.

"I am quite glad that we all enjoyed our meals," Zelda said, and she had to force herself not to grin at hearing a tired groan from Link. "Now that we all seem to be finished, let us proceed to gift-opening, yes?" Nods and murmurs of assent were made, and each Champion dispersed for a small while to gather the gifts they'd gotten each other. Zelda found herself anticipating what her gifts would be more than she thought she should, but she was allowed to let that excitement pass as holiday spirit.

It wasn't long before everyone returned and gifts were distributed. Per Zelda's request, they'd each chosen one other person to give their gifts to, in a glorified gift-roulette scenario. Zelda reached for hers first.

The Hylian Princess sat back in her chair and dragged a random gift towards her; the crudely wrapped lump could only have come from Daruk. It was relatively simple, nothing much more than a light blue cloth emblazoned with the Hylian crest. Zelda could seem that the package was sooty in some places, likely from the Goron's own hands. The brutish Champion grinned and rubbed the back of his head.

"Yeah, I know it's not the fanciest thing you've ever seen," he said somewhat anxiously, "but I know you've been busy with researchin' those Guardians recently, and I figured this was just the thing you needed." A small silence lapsed as Zelda tore away at the wrapping paper gently, peeling back the flimsy layers until—

"Oh, Daruk!" Zelda exclaimed, pulling out an Ancient Core. "Where in Hyrule did you ever _find_ one of these? They are one of the rarest relics from the ancient Sheikahs!" Daruk rubbed the back of his head, obviously glad that his gift had been well-received.

"Oh, we found it up in Goron City," Daruk said passively. "Some miners found somethin' that they couldn't crack and tasted terrible, so they brought it to me! I was gonna give it to ya earlier, but then I figured it'd make a great gift, so I kept it a while longer. You don't mind, do ya?" Zelda laughed good-naturedly.

"Of course it is okay, Daruk," said the Hylian girl. "With a commodity as rare as this, a few extra weeks of waiting is definitely worth it. Thank you."

"Not a problem, Princess!"

Zelda delicately set the Core aside, a small smile lingering on her face at the wonderful gift. Goddesses, the experiments she could run on that small bit of technology were practically _endless…_ but any further thoughts of scientific inquiry were pushed aside as Zelda brought out the next gift to be opened; from her to Lady Urbosa.

/-\\-/-\\-/-\\-/-\

Urbosa couldn't help the smile that came over her face at seeing Zelda's child-like glee in response to Daruk's gift. _The big lunk did well,_ thought the Gerudo to herself as the Goron and Hylian Princess shared 'thank you's. _It's been forever since my little bird has smiled this much._

Stress and responsibility weighed heavily on the young girl; if Urbosa could have her way, King Rhoam would be lashed for how arrogantly he acted towards his daughter's skills, both in science and in magic. Brilliant the girl may be, but the fact still remained that Zelda was still a young girl, and Rhoam's tireless pressure on her was starting to wear Zelda down. She knew Rhoam was simply struggling to cope with the loss of his beloved queen, and his instinctual solution was to fill that void with Zelda. Despite that, Urbosa could tell it wouldn't be long before the final shield broke the sand seal's back.

_Which is why we need moments like these,_ thought the Gerudo to herself, scanning the assembled Champions with a smile tugging at her full lips. _Close, intimate familial moments to remind her what she fights for. What we all fight for._ Stress was not limited to Zelda; Urbosa knew full well that it ate away at every person that sat in that Sanctum. _Some more than others,_ she thought quickly, casting a quick glance at Revali, who was busy preening himself. _What in Din's name happened on our way here?_ Urbosa had made an attempt to be at least somewhat agreeable and hold a normal conversation, and instead the insufferable Cucco went off the rails angry? For no reason?

Well… maybe not _no_ reason, but Urbosa's pride wasn't about to let her admit that just quite yet.

"For you, Lady Urbosa."

Zelda's voice snapped the Gerudo out of her reverie, and she quickly slipped a smile onto her face as she reached out to accept the gift offered to her by the Hylian Princess. "For me?" she asked innocently, turning the rectangular package over in her hands. "My dear, you shouldn't have!" Not caring much for wrapping paper, Urbosa unceremoniously tore off the confining layers to reveal her gift; a pair of hand-crafted topaz earrings. Turning them over in her hands, she realized that the back of each had been engraved with a tiny dove. "Thank you," _my little bird._ Urbosa met Zelda's eyes gratefully, both of them understanding what she wanted to convey. "Thank you."

Zelda nodded with a small smile, and Urbosa felt her heart swell at the loving gesture she'd just been shown. Urbosa knew that she had become somewhat of a mother figure to Zelda, but she never knew that Zelda admired her enough to gift the Gerudo Champion with her late mother's earrings. The gesture spoke more than words could ever enunciate, so all Urbosa did was smile and give her thanks. They both understood its importance, even if no one else did, and that was all that mattered.

/-\\-/-\\-/-\\-/-\

"Revali, why don't you open this while I slip these on?"

With a little huff, the Rito Champion swiped the elongated rectangle from Urbosa's hands. As if he needed her to tell him when to open a gift. _Assuming this is a gift,_ thought Revali anxiously as he palmed the box, _and not one of her practical jokes. Din knows I've had enough of those today._

Revali would have been perfectly content if the conversation he'd had with Urbosa prior to their arrival in the Sanctum had disappeared from existence. It was too annoying, too cumbersome…

Too _vulnerable._

What happened to the cool-calm-collected Revali who showed the world that he was the best without caring about others' opinions? It was easy for that personality to shine through when Link was involved (or anywhere within a fifty-yard radius), but Urbosa was different. Somehow. Obviously, she was several degrees smarter than everyone's favorite Hylian, because she was admittedly able to hold her own in a battle of wits with anyone. However, instead of Revali telling the Gerudo off when she got on his nerves (like he did to literally _anyone_ who got on his nerves), he ended up revealing a part of himself that he never liked acknowledging; the _weak_ part. The part of him he did his best to keep locked away for good.

How could he ever prove himself to be the strongest and most worthy when he had a mountain of weakening emotions to deal with? If there was one thing Revali had learned in his lifetime, both at home and abroad, it was that the world did not care one modicum about how you felt; only about how skilled you were. Many people from outside Rito village had called him a jerk, or a self-centered bigot, or really anything else along those derogatory lines. Despite his apparent lack of a good personality (which was a subject the archer intentionally left alone), Revali was still allowed to make progress and work his way up in the world. Why? Because his skills with a bow and flight in general were unprecedented, so everyone was prepared to forget about how he treated them because he was so impressive in other aspects of life.

Urbosa, for whatever insane reason, apparently didn't follow that logic, and Revali was terrified by how curious it made him.

"I know the packaging is lovely, but don't you think you should open your gift soon, Master Revali?" The Gerudo Champion's voice brought Revali back to reality, and he huffed in false annoyance to mask his pensiveness.

"I'll get there by myself, thank you very much," grumbled the archer, flipping the elongated box over so he could pry at the narrow end. "I don't need to be told how to open a box."

"Easy there, buddy," Daruk said as Revali picked at the gift's corner. "She's just tellin' ya that you were quiet there for a while. Looks like you were grindin' your brain on the whetstone pretty hard for a minute there…" Great, now he had _another_ curious party on his trail. Why did everyone feel the need to poke their noses in his business? It wasn't like they actually _cared_ about what the thought or felt… not even Revali himself did. At least, that was what he'd convinced himself of.

_Finally,_ the end of the box came loose, allowing Revali to distract himself from reality by tugging at the smooth, hollow shape he felt inside. Revali's brow furrowed in concentration, struggling to get a good grip on the gift until it popped out.

"It's an enchanted quiver," Urbosa said as Revali examined the leather pouch. "It allows arrows of different varieties to be stored together, without risking damage to other arrows or the archer himself. I thought you'd appreciate something practical."

_You thought correctly,_ admitted Revali to himself, slightly disturbed by how accurate Urbosa's guess was. Despite that, it truly was a great gift; one of the recurring problems for archers was that ice and fire arrows eroded each other away over time, requiring the use of a second quiver. There was also the obvious stupidity of putting bomb arrows in the same place as fire arrows…

"I might be able to get some use out of this," said Revali indifferently, not willing to let his gratitude bleed through.

"Should you not thank Lady Urbosa?" Zelda asked suddenly, her usually reserved voice tempered with a bit of steel. "That is quite a generous gift." Revali scowled, but Urbosa's sudden laughter interrupted him before he had a chance to rebuke the Hylian girl.

"It's quite all right, Zelda dear," said Urbosa easily, fixing Revali with a stare that seemed too casual to be innocent. "I'm certain he's thankful. Besides, he hasn't even opened everything yet." Any scathing remark Revali had prepared in response to the _thankful_ comment evaporated in place of newfound curiosity.

"There's more?" he asked, working to keep his excitement buried. Urbosa nodded with a grin.

"Of course there is, Master Revali," she said matter-of-factly. "One should always thoroughly inspect the gifts they are given, after all." Revali sensed that there was some hidden meaning to Urbosa's words, but for the life of him he couldn't think of what she meant on the spot. Deciding to shrug it off and consider it later, Revali peered into the box once again and pulled out a blue silk ribbon. A brief moment of confusion eclipsed the Rito's face before he choked on his breath. _Oh, for the love of Din, please tell me this isn't…_

It was all Revali could do to not have a heart attack on the spot as the realization hit him.

Urbosa evidently noticed his tension, because she spoke again. "I did some research into Rito customs, and I've been told that champions of a tournament are given ribbons to tie on their bows," said the Gerudo, carefully gauging Revali's expression as he tried to keep a lid on his panic. "I understand that they're usually purple, but I figured that blue was more in-line with our Champion color scheme." Revali was barely listening to Urbosa anymore.

_This might have been a nice gesture,_ he thought in disbelief, _if it wasn't for the fact that the blue ribbon already meant something to us Rito._ As one might expect from the strength of Revali's reaction, giving a Rito a blue ribbon as a gift was none other than a courtship custom. Urbosa said she'd done her research on Rito customs, and she didn't seem like one to do things incorrectly or presumptuously… so was this an honest mistake? Or was it perhaps something far more confusing and disturbing…? _One thing's for sure,_ Revali reassured himself. _I am never giving her that gift now, not with all this insanity… the last thing I want are mixed messages._

"I also took the liberty," Urbosa continued slowly, obviously confused by Revali's reaction, "of infusing it with a scent of Blue Nightshade." A playful smile crept its way onto her face. "Just so you remember who it's from."

_Whatthehellwhatthehellwhatthehell—_

Unable to stand the pressure, Revali unceremoniously tossed the pair of gifts aside and quickly scrambled for the gift he had prepared for Mipha. "Your turn!" he almost shouted, his panic seeping into his voice as he tossed the gift to the surprised Zora girl. _Din, do the surprises and heart attacks never end with this insufferable Gerudo woman?_

Revali knew he was getting a lot of strange looks from his colleagues, but thankfully none of them questioned Revali's antics. Still, Mipha was looking at him in a way that implied she knew something…

Revali just groaned and put his head in his wings. _I shouldn't worry about_ Mipha _of all people, not when Urbosa's playing around with my psyche. I mean, it's not like a Zora knows anything about Rito customs, so at least she can't bug me about this…_

/-\\-/-\\-/-\\-/-\

Mipha knew _exactly_ what Revali was freaking out about.

She, in her long-lived quest to do something with her feelings for Link, had looked into the courtship rituals of every race in Hyrule… just to be thorough. In her search, she had indeed come across the fact that a blue ribbon was a symbol of love for the Rito… and Mipha was _quite_ certain that Lady Urbosa did not know that. And, given the tension between Revali and Urbosa that already existed, Mipha wasn't surprised in the slightest when the poor Rito reacted the way he did.

If anything, Mipha was glad that she wasn't the only Champion who was stressing over their emotions.

Despite that… it made Mipha curious. Before she'd fully realized the extent of her feelings for Link, Mipha had always felt flustered and confused around him. It was like he was some kind of enigma, one that her heart compelled her to solve, and that quest eventually led her to love him. If Mipha's hunch was right…

"Are you going to open that any time soon?" asked Revali testily, "or will we have to wait another few centuries?" Mipha's brow furrowed in annoyance, but Urbosa cut the tension with a short laugh.

"Calm yourself, Revali," she said, elbowing the Rito playfully, an action that elicited a small glare. "If you recall, someone _else_ took this long to figure out how to open their gifts as well." Mipha giggled as Revali scoffed and turned his head away, and Urbosa winked at the Zora girl understandingly. That was perhaps the aspect of Urbosa's personality that she appreciated and admired the most; her empathy. The Gerudo seemed to have an uncanny talent for realizing exactly how to deflate a tense situation with a few well-timed words.

Curious as to what exactly Revali's gift contained, Mipha tugged at the comically oversized bow that held the modestly-sized package together. Slipping the top off the box, Mipha's brows rose curiously as she pulled out a silver armband with the design of a heart in its center. _Curious choice of design,_ she thought as she glanced up at the Rito, who staring right back at her. _Surely he doesn't think I'm_ this _soft and mushy…?_ Revali saw her curious glance and rolled his emerald eyes.

"Relax, Princess," he said with mocking formality, crossing his wings over his chest. "The visuals aren't what's important. I asked around your domain, and _apparently_ it's supposed to have an enchantment that boosts your healing abilities or whatnot. Use it, don't use it, I don't care."

Mipha smiled in spite of herself. Revali had put a surprising amount of thought into the gift, which was greatly appreciated on the Zora's part. She was glad that he allowed that redeemable part of him shine through, even if he tried covering it up with indifference immediately after.

"Thank you, Master Revali." Mipha wasted no time in slipping the armband on her right wrist, surprised at how snugly it fit. "I can assure you I will use it to the best of my abilities." Revali, ever the indifferent showman, tossed his head nonchalantly.

"Yeah, whatever."

"C'mon, Revali!" laughed Daruk, slamming his fist into the Rito's back in a friendly pat, almost destroying the archer's spine in the process. "She's just tryin' to say thanks to ya. No need to get your pebbles in a stack."

"Let's just get on with it, why not?" grumbled the Rito, for once not happy with being the center of attention. Daruk nodded in agreement, more than willing to divert attention from the Rito's newfound stingy mood.

"Yeah! We can't forget 'bout our Hylian pebble over here!" said the Goron, gesturing over at Link and Zelda before turning to Mipha with a grin. "Don't hold us up, Mipha! We're all dyin' to see what you got the little guy here." Mipha nodded, trying to ignore her heart crawling its way up her throat as she reached under her chair for Link's gift. Even though she'd had a rather nice moment with Link on their way to the Sanctum, Mipha was still incredibly unsure about how forward she should be with him. After all, as the Zora Princess, she was expected to marry someone beneficial to the domain… and the Princess' personal guard was probably not the best option. Still, the expectations of her people weren't enough to stop her heart from being drawn to Link's.

Mipha had been brave today, at least by her standards, when she'd run up to take Link's hand in hers. She'd remembered Urbosa's advice about the ten seconds, and had acted. Despite that, Mipha was wildly unsettled by how much Link had changed in his time away from Zora's Domain. He was quiet, reserved, and acted most of the time like the rest of the world didn't exist. The Zora girl had never felt so concerned for someone in her life. It seemed like a cruel twist on fate that the one person she most wanted to protect in the world with her healing powers was the one who had a condition that was unfixable through her magic. Her healing power did nothing for mental issues; all Mipha could do was be there for him, like she'd promised him she would be, and hope she would be enough to protect him from the world's cruelty.

Trapped somewhere inside Link was the young, happy boy she knew from her childhood, and Mipha had decided that it was her mission to find him once again.

/-\\-/-\\-/-\\-/-\

The minor unease Link had grappled with at the beginning of the day seemed to have multiplied into a frenzied maelstrom of chaotic emotion, now that Mipha had reached across him and placed her gift right in front of him.

Being near Mipha was comforting, soothing, warm; everything his life had missed while in the Knight's Academy. Looking at her, Link was flooded by childhood memories of fond friendship, playful energy, and scattered embers of love. Link often found himself wondering if his presence was having a similar effect on Mipha.

Link remembered taking her and her brother Sidon on camping trips up Polymus Mountain nearly every other day when they'd been children. He also remembered being dared by the young Zora prince to dive straight off of Shatterback Point, only to be stopped by a panicky and sensible Mipha. Link recalled camping out in damp caves with both the siblings, or sometimes with just Mipha, each time bringing with it a new adventure to keep the young, happy children occupied.

The trips with just Mipha had always been the best, Link recalled, because it had been so fun seeing the Zora Princess step out of her bubble of shyness and allow herself to let loose and simply enjoy herself. Such things had never happened around the Domain, where overbearing figures like Muzu pounded a harsh expectation onto the Zora girl's young lifestyle, and so Link (even as a child) had cherished every moment he had with Mipha when she joined him in being free, and breathing in the breath of the wild that inspired one to get up, run to the nearest rock, and throw it over a cliff because why not? Mipha was always the most fun to be around when she remembered that they didn't need to obey endless laws and stuffy guidelines all the time; more often than not, doing something just because you want to do it is the best possible thing for a troubled soul, and Link had made it his mission to ingrain this bit of wisdom within Mipha, if only because he cared for her so much.

Considering how far Link had fallen, from jovial child to stone-faced soldier, he wondered if Mipha had suffered a similar fate through their separation.

"I suppose it's my turn to tell you to hurry up, isn't it?"

Mipha's reserved voice snapped the Hylian knight fully from his thoughts, and he glanced up to see a restrained smile tugging at her lips. Link managed to quash the warm flutter that went off in his chest as Urbosa laughed at Mipha's comment.

"Don't be such a follower, my dear Mipha," said the Gerudo coyly, nodding her head in Link's direction. "Why not do one better? You ought to get up and _show_ him how to open it." Link watched the reactions of his fellow Champions: Daruk grinned eagerly, Zelda frowned, Revali groaned and rolled his eyes, and Mipha's face flushed. Link felt the tiniest race of a smile tug at his lips as he watched Mipha timidly rise from beside him and move beside his chair. He suddenly saw two slim arms wrapping around his seated form, and felt two red hands gently curl around his. Link could feel the blood rising to the tips of his pointy ears as he felt Mipha guide his hands slowly, methodically "helping" him to open her gift. In the back of his mind, Link could hear Revali mumbling to himself about "pathetic excuses for Champions" and "insufferable woman" as he theatrically rolled his eyes, but that was honestly the least of his concerns at the moment.

Link's hands shook as the wrapping paper was slipped off, although whether that was his fault or Mipha's he wasn't sure. It also didn't help matters very much that he could feel the Zora's nervous breath tickling his ears and hair as Mipha loomed over him. His subconscious told him that the gift should have only taken a few seconds to open and that he didn't need any help, but the rest of his mind promptly told it to shut its trap. How had he never noticed how warm her hands were…?

"There," Mipha said breathlessly, retracting her arms and exhaling shakily, as though she'd just run a marathon. "I hope you… enjoy your gift, Link…" Not wasting any more time, Link flipped the top off of the palm-sized box to reveal a small… earring? Confusion eclipsed the Hylian as he pulled the piece of jewelry from the box to look at it in the light. Revali snickered at seeing the gift, something that earned him a sharp elbow in the side from Urbosa. Link stood from his chair to face Mipha, his face letting her realize his confusion. She smiled and took the earring from his hand, moving to hook it onto his ear. He felt a sharp prick in his right earlobe, then the familiar soothing warmth of her healing abilities as the new wound was quickly closed.

"Call me sentimental," Mipha said quietly, her gentle hand lingering on the side of his head, "but I thought you would appreciate having a bit of me with you at all times. Even if it is just an earring." Link suddenly found it hard to breathe past the lump that had formed in his throat, and he became hyper-aware of how soft her comforting hand felt on his head…

Next thing either of them knew, Link had pulled Mipha into a tight embrace, holding her close to his chest as though he hadn't seen her in centuries. This was true, to a certain extent, and all the conflict inside the Hylian began steadily relieving itself as he tightened his embrace around Mipha. The Zora Princess tensed for a split second, then relaxed in his grip, wrapping her own slender arms around his lower back and returning his warm gesture. Every minute aspect of his longtime friend engrained itself into the Hylian's head as he reveled in the joy of being close to her. Emotion flooded Link's entire body, choking up his throat and making his eyes feel the slightest bit watery. So overwhelmed was he by the comfort brought to him by his friend that he did something he hadn't done in a long time.

"Thank you," Link whispered, his voice husky with disuse and emotion. "Thank you, Mipha." Link closed his eyes and let his head rest atop of Mipha's as she nuzzled more securely into his chest. He was so caught up in the moment that he almost missed her emotional, whispered reply as the two friends held each other close.

"It is my pleasure."

/-\\-/-\\-/-\\-/-\

Daruk grinned as he watched Link and Mipha holding each other. He was happy for the little guy; with everything the poor kid had gone through, he deserved someone to make him happy. Unfortunately, it appeared that not everyone at the table shared his excitement.

"Honestly, could those two be any more pathetic…"

Daruk glanced down at the Rito who'd made the annoyed comment, keeping his small bubble of anger in check. The Goron Champion knew that Revali had his own brand of problems that Daruk was never likely to fully know or understand, but that still didn't excuse him from stomping on someone else's happiness.

"I think it's kinda cute," Daruk said cautiously, inserting his opinion into the matter. "Like little Pebblits." Zelda was the next to reply, sighing heavily before she did so.

"I think it is rather detrimental for Link," said the Hylian Princess smoothly. "The last thing that boy needs are distractions. What use is a guard to me if his mind will always be on another's wellbeing…?"

"You're all overthinking this," Urbosa said calmly, leaning back into her chair and looking meaningfully across the table to Zelda. "What business is it of ours if they care for one another? If anything, we should probably leave them with some privacy." Urbosa rose, and Daruk did so as well as he nodded in agreement. Zelda eventually scooted her chair back with a sigh and stood on her own, not wasting any time in immediately striding towards the exit. Revali, however, was not being nearly as complacent.

"Why do I have to move just because they're overtaken by pheromones?" complained the archer, leaning back in his seat and kicking his legs up on the table in defiance of the other two Champions. Urbosa gave a forced smile and gripped Revali's shoulder tightly.

"Quit arguing, you oversized Cucco," she said, exasperation seeping into her tone. "Don't you have anything better to do that sit here and complain?"

"Hey, if we leave these two here alone, this Sanctum may not be as sacred come morn—."

"I'll take that as a no, then."

Revali stood indignantly, whirling around to face Urbosa with a sneer distorting his beak. "Actually," he said in a low voice, "I just remembered that I wanted to have a few words with you, _Lady Urbosa."_ Daruk didn't miss the sarcasm dripping off of his words, and neither did the Gerudo. The Goron admired her for keeping her cool and not doing what she obviously felt compelled to do; grab her shield and whack the Rito upside the head with it repeatedly.

"Very well, Revali," she said through somewhat-clenched teeth. "Lead the way, why don't you?" The feuding Champions stormed off, and Daruk swore he could see steam coming from both their heads. _Those two are like if a Cucco was thrown into Death Mountain; not pretty sight._

Deciding enough was enough, Daruk quietly lumbered over to Link's seat, careful not to disturb their embrace as he reached under the Hylian's chair for his gift. The Goron waddled towards the door of the Sanctum, opening his gift on the way. When he peeled off the final layer of wrapping paper, it was revealed… an exquisitely gorgeous diamond rock roast straight from the Goron mines. A grin split the giant's face before he shoveled the whole thing into his mouth, devouring it in one monstrous bite. _Thanks, little guy,_ Daruk thought as he walked through the Sanctum doors. _Happy Dinsday._

The doors to the Sanctum closed behind him, leaving the Hylian Champion and Zora Princess alone to enjoy each other's company for the first time in years.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We saw some much-needed Lipha development this chapter. We also got a set-up for some more Urbosa/Revali squabbling in the next chapter, which should be entertaining to write. I know Lipha is the d'awwww pairing but Urbosa/Revali is the "oh great, these two idiots are at it again" pairing, and I honestly can't say which one I enjoy more.
> 
> Thanks for reading!


	6. Highly Advanced Laser Beam vs Pot Lid

"Revali, _where_ in Farore's name are you taking me? I thought you wanted to talk."

Urbosa's annoyance was beginning to get the better of her as the Rito archer led her down the maze-like corridors of Hyrule Castle. With nothing to do but watch the back of Revali's fuming head as they walked, Urbosa had begun pondering what exactly she'd done to set the archer off. She'd given him a perfectly acceptable gift; a practical quiver and a decorative ribbon that was meant to feed his ego even more than he did by himself. Alright, maybe making it smell like Blue Nightshade wasn't the best idea ever, but even for Reavli's standards that was an extremely frivolous reason to go off on her like he was at the moment.

There was something that unnerved Urbosa about the way Revali had reacted to pulling out the blue ribbon. It wasn't simply anger or annoyance… for a brief moment, the Rito had looked uncharacteristically _afraid,_ and it didn't bode well for Urbosa that she may have been the reason for that. _I may have missed something in my research on Rito customs…_ Urbosa frowned in concentration as she struggled to recall each individual Rito she'd spoken to at the village and what they'd told her about the ribbon custom. The elder himself had been the first to tell her of the tradition, apparently having started thousands of years ago. Everyone else Urbosa spoke to had been a regular citizen, but now that she thought about it…

"Ok, look."

Urbosa almost tripped over herself as Revali came to a sudden halt in front of a wooden bedchamber door; she recognized it a split-second later as her own. _Why in Hyrule did he bring me to my own room?_

"I understand that we aren't really on the best terms," admitted the Rito, spreading his wings in a conciliatory manner, "and that you seem to get some sadistic pleasure from watching others suffer your ridiculous teasing." Urbosa put her hands on her indignant hips, but Revali continued before she had a chance to interject.

"I get that it's pretty much your M.O.," said the Rito, eyeing Urbosa with a sternness that reminded her of a father correcting his child. "But when you go and pull stunts like this, I can't help but ask; why in Din's name do you do this to me?"

Urbosa squinted in confusion. "What is… _this?"_ she asked, gesturing vaguely in front of her with her arms to further make her point. Revali's responding scoff didn't surprise the Gerudo in the slightest.

"You know exactly what I mean," Revali said in a low half-sneer, beak curling in disdain. "If you somehow don't, that just adds to the problem."

"Revali, _what_ in Hyrule are you talking about?"

_"This!"_ Revali shouted, the sudden noise making Urbosa flinch. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a few stares being directed at them from a pair of patrolling guards. That notion quickly disappeared as Revali waved something in front of her face; the blue scented ribbon she'd gifted him earlier that day.

"Your gift?" asked the swordswoman, now thoroughly confused. ,em>"That's seriously your problem? What's the matter with it? Is it too plain a gift for the grand Master Revali?"

A sardonic laugh came from the Rito. "Is that what you think my problem is?" he asked in a disbelieving scoff. "That the ribbon isn't pompous enough? How much of a narcissistic Cucco do you think I am?"

"Well—."

"Don't answer that."

Urbosa laughed, in spite of herself, and shook her head. Her mane of red hair swung to follow her movement. "Then what _is_ the problem, Revali?" she asked, exasperation already beginning to sneak its way into her voice. "I thought giving you that ribbon would send a nice message."

Revali actually laughed aloud at this, but the bird's facial expression made it obvious that he was forcing it. "A _nice message,"_ he mocked in a poorly-attempted falsetto impersonation of Urbosa's voice. "Yeah, you could call it that _if you genuinely meant it._ Which is literally impossible, I feel I should add."

"How is that impossible?" asked Urbosa cautiously, becoming unnerved by the insanity that was overcoming Revali. "I genuinely meant everything that ribbon stands for."

Deadly silence.

Revali had literally frozen in place at hearing Urbosa's statement, and she was genuinely surprised to admit that she meant what she'd said. The Gerudo truly did admire the Rito's prowess with the bow, and she felt the best way to express that without injuring her pride was through a gift fit for champions. That in no way explained Revali's rather violent reaction, however, which led her to believe that the blue ribbon didn't quite mean what she thought it did… and staring at Revali's paralyzed form was certainly confirmation of that suspicion.

"That's impossible," muttered Revali almost to himself. Interestingly, the Gerudo swordswoman found herself feeling slightly uneasy at listening to the Rito's mumblings. _Now I'm feeling guilty for this Cucco? Goddesses, something must be wrong with me._

Revali's eyes flickered upwards to meet Urbosa's, and she was startled to see a trace of fear in the usually confident emerald. "That's impossible," he said, somewhat louder, as if trying to convince the both of them and not just himself.

"What's impossible?" asked the Gerudo, somewhat dreading the answer. Revali's eyes searched her form for anything he could use to make sense of everything.

"You act like I'm the most annoying being on the planet," began Revali, counting off on his wing tips. "Then you go out of your way to start a conversation with me like we're best chums before the dinner. _Then_ you go back to being annoyed at me. And _now,_ after all of that bickering back and forth between the two of us, you go and give me _this."_ Revali waved the scented ribbon around frantically for emphasis.

"I don't understand your confusion, Revali," Urbosa said calmly, rubbing her temples tiredly with her fingertips. "I made the assumption that you would appreciate the gesture. Apparently, I was mistaken."

Revali laughed out loud at the Gerudo's statement, and unlike the times before, his amusement sounded genuine. Urbosa let the Rito continue for a minute before an irritated scowl slashed a line across her face.

"What do you find so funny, Revali?"

"You _must_ pardon me, Lady Urbosa," said the archer as his mirth died down, and the light in his eyes was replaced by a cold, hard sheen. "I simply struggle to understand how you could possibly love me."

_What in Din's name…?_

"Who said anything about _loving you?"_ Urbosa said, unable to keep some of the disgust out of her voice. She had no idea where in the world he'd gotten that notion. "A ribbon is a gift to a champion, isn't it?"

"A _purple one,_ yes," Revali confirmed, crossing his arms over his feathery chest. "However, a _blue_ ribbon is an undying declaration of love to the Rito. Stop acting innocent, Urbosa, it's very unbecoming of you."

"Wait," Urbosa said, taking a step closer to Revali and narrowing her eyes. "I tease you on occasion and suddenly I'm not allowed to make an honest mistake anymore? Everyone I spoke to in your village about this custom said they wanted to give you a blue ribbon after your tournament victories."

"Oh, then _surely_ it must be an honest mistake," Revali said with false dismissiveness. "Were the people who told you this young females, by any chance?"

"Well, yes," Urbosa relented, searching her memories and finding the Rito's guess to be accurate. "I don't see what that has to do with… oh." The Gerudo suddenly felt some heat rise to her cheeks in embarrassment. She'd unwittingly made a declaration of love to him… which would certainly explain how upset he was. ,em>I can certainly be a dense sand seal at times, can't I? "You're angry because you thought I was disrespecting one of your customs."

"Give the winner her prize!" laughed Revali bitterly, his eyes quickly returning to the cold harshness they'd harbored earlier. "Are you happy, Urbosa? Was this prank everything you'd ever dreamed of?"

"It was an honest mistake Revali," Urbosa said uncertainly, knowing that the Rito probably wouldn't accept any apology she tried to give. Still, she felt compelled to give him one in light of the distress it had caused him. "I'm sorry if you thought otherwise."

"If _I_ thought otherwise?" asked the Rito incredulously, taking a threatening step towards the Gerudo Champion. Urbosa felt her hand slip to the hilt of her scimitar unconsciously. "So, this is all _my_ fault now for misinterpreting your mistake?"

"I did not say that, Revali," Urbosa replied crossly, grip tightening around the Scimitar of the Seven's handle. "Don't put presumptuous words in my mouth."

"Why not?" snapped the Rito, anger taking hold of his voice. "You see fit to mess with my emotional balance, so I should be free to—."

"Why does this bother you so, Revali?" interrupted Urbosa firmly, closing the distance between the two and looming over the Rito with her greater height. "Since you're so convinced this was a trick on my part, why even bother thinking it was true? You don't possibly have those feelings for _me,_ do you?" The Gerudo had meant her words to be taken sarcastically, but she was unduly startled when Revali failed to answer, his anger frozen for a split-second as a shadow of fear crossed his expression.

"That's not important," Revali said quickly, averting his gaze from Urbosa's for a half second before returning to his angered state. "What _is_ important, however, is—."

"No, let's answer this question first," Urbosa said, leaning over so she could be eye-to-eye with the Rito. "You don't _really_ harbor any feelings for me, do you?"

"Of course not," scoffed Revali, feathery arms still crossed in indignation.

"Then why the initial deflection? Deflection means denial." The Gerudo took a step closer, eyes narrowing threateningly at the Rito she argued with.

"Are you sure _I'm_ the one with the ego here, Urbosa? You seem pretty desperate to have an admirer." Revali closed the distance between the feuding pair completely, jamming his beak right into Urbosa's face, almost gouging his eye out with her pointed nose. Urbosa scowled, her grip tightening around the Seven's jeweled hilt as she pressed her forehead against Revali's roughly.

"You shouldn't leave a lady guessing, Revali," said Urbosa, voice dripping with sarcasm. "How am I supposed to know if you truly love me or not?"

"I think the answer is fairly obvious," Revali said, his own voice matching Urbosa's sarcasm for sarcasm. "There's no chance in hell I'd ever love you." The anger that overrode the swordswoman's mind let her ignore the sting in her pride.

"I'm glad we're on the same page, then," said the Gerudo, her fingers itching to draw the Seven from its scabbard as she backed down from Revali, separating the distance between them to a yard or so. "If that's the case, then I'll be taking that ribbon back." Urbosa's eyes narrowed as she saw both Revali and his anger hesitate to hand over the token he so tightly gripped in his wingtips.

"I think I'll be keeping it, actually," said the archer in a cool front, obviously hiding a shudder in his voice.

"Why?" asked the Gerudo with some genuine curiosity laced in with the annoyance. "You've made it clear you don't want it in the slightest." A smirk tweaked the corners of Revali's beak for half a second as he met the Gerudo Champion's gaze evenly.

"I think I'd much rather take a leaf out of your book and tease you about it," Revali said with a grin that slowly grew more sadistic as he spoke, and Urbosa felt a sliver of unease slip down her spine. "Imagine what rumors I could spread about how the fearsome Lady Urbosa has fallen desperately in love with me."

Urbosa snarled—animalistic growl and everything—and drew the Scimitar of the Seven on pure impulsive rage. Making an honest mistake was one thing; judging her for it was quite another; but a threat to her pride for a petty, ill-placed sense of karma crossed one of Urbosa's many lines. "That's it!" she growled, spinning the perfectly-balanced scimitar in her hand and leveling the blade at Revali, whose confidence instantly drained out of his eyes. "I've had it with you, Revali. I swear to Din, when I'm through with you, I—what the—?"

Just as Urbosa was about to make good on her threats on the Rito's life, a sturdy, bone-crushing hand wrapped its way around her waist and hefted her into the air with an indignant yelp. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw another hand grab Revali and hoist the bird up in a similar fashion.

"Now what's the matter with you two?" asked Daruk, tilting his head as he alternated glances between the two captured Champions he held in his grasp. "I was walkin' back to my room when I heard someone draw a weapon. I came over to see if someone was attacking you guys, but the only weapon around here is Urbosa's. You two weren't _fightin'_ by any chance, were ya?"

"What's it to you, you hulking behemoth?" snapped Revali as his torso was nearly crushed by Daruk's massively powerful grip. "Mind your own business and let me down!"

"I'm inclined to agree with Revali, Daurk," said Urbosa in a strained voice, her chest unable to send much oxygen to her from the vice like grip she was being suspended with. "Why interfere in our business? I was all set to pluck a few of this peacock's feathers."

"Oh, you would have tried!" snapped Revali as threateningly as he could while being carried like a sack of flour. "You wouldn't have been able to even—." The Rito's counter-rant was cut off by Daruk shaking his head and pumping his arms up and down furiously, jolting and shaking the two suspended Champions around, almost causing Urbosa to lose her grip on her scimitar. He continued this for a minute before finally relenting. The Goron effortlessly flipped the two over and grabbed them by their legs so they hung upside down. Urbosa's mane of crimson hair was frayed about from the violent movement and partially covered her face, and Revali's face was starting to turn colors that weren't exactly making him look like the picture of health.

"Listen here, you two," Daruk said with a sigh, bringing the suspended Champions in front of him so he could properly chastise them. "I've let you two bicker for a while now, but drawing weapons on each other is lettin' it go too far. We're Champions, chosen to represent our races. Start actin' like ya have some shred of dignity, guys." Daruk shifted his head to glance at the traumatized Revali.

"Revali, you need to stop takin' everything so personally," he said to the suspended Rito, whose only response was a nauseated groan. "Learn to take a joke. Loosen up. Just 'cause someone's scrap metal landed on your forge doesn't mean they're tryin' to cause you a cold shut." Urbosa's frazzled mind was entirely unable to decipher Daruk's words of wisdom, the poor woman was so shaken. Unfortunately, judging by the way his massive head turned to face her upside-down one, the Gerudo warrior guessed it was her turn for a lecture.

"And _you,"_ Daruk said meaningfully, shaking her up and down gently to get her attention (as if she hadn't already focused on the mountainous creature), "need to lay off a bit, little lady. Not everyone's built for endless teasing, and you shootin' him down when he tries to poke a little fun back isn't like ya at all, Urbosa. I thought you were supposed to be the mature one." Daruk paused and straightened his posture back up. "D'ya both follow me?"

Silence. Daruk glanced at Urbosa's pensive pout, then over at Revali's indignant silence. The Goron rolled his eyes before bringing his arms together, effectively smacking the two Champion's heads together. As they yelped in pain from the unexpected gesture, Daruk sucked in a massive amount of air in preparation of his next words;

"AM I CLEAR, YOU PAIR OF PEBBLES?"

"Din almighty, yes!"

"Yes, you lumbering mound of Molduga droppings!"

Daruk grinned good naturedly after his outburst and dropped the pair of traumatized Champions on the stone floor unceremoniously, both of them coughing violently and heaving enormous breaths. "Great!" he said amicably, as though he hadn't thoroughly humiliated and nearly suffocated both Champions. "The Princess said she had a special exercise she wanted us to go through tomorrow. Dunno what it is. See ya both then!" Daruk turned around to walk back down the hallway, where he was met with the curious stares of several guards and palace servants, each staring at the Goron Champion open-mouthed in awe.

"What are you Pebblits lookin' at?" he asked gruffly, eyes narrowed at the amassed crowd.

All intrusive parties scurried away like Bokoblins from a swarm of bees. Daruk grinned to himself and chuckled as he walked away. _I love bein' this big sometimes. So helpful._

Urbosa and Revali, meanwhile, were still heaving their lungs up onto the castle tiles, trying to regain their senses. With a shaky hand, Urbosa managed to sheathe her Scimitar of the Seven and stand unsteadily, using the wall for balance. She pointed an uncertain finger at the still-prone Rito.

"I still don't like you very much," she said in a slight daze, trying to shake away the spots that were clouding her vision, "and we really need to sort this ribbon business out sometime soon. But…" Urbosa paused to take an exhausted breath, closing her eyes to stabilize herself. "… maybe we should put this whole… this whole _bickering_ thing on hold for a while. To be safe, of course." Revali's response was to flip over onto his back, groan tiredly, and meet the swordswoman's eyes.

"Deal."

/-\\-/-\\-/-\\-/-\

"So… now what?"

Link felt the question more than he heard it; the closeness of their embrace as they remained in the Sanctum allowed that. The warm pulsing he felt against him was probably Mipha's heartbeat, he guessed; strong and sure, despite what her outward appearance conveyed. One of the many things he appreciated about the young Zora; living proof that strength wasn't always visible to the naked eye. Some of the strongest had it buried deep within their souls.

"What do you mean?"

Mipha sighed gently, and Link could feel her chest compress as she prepared her clarification. "I do not know… what I mean is…" Another gentle sigh, and this time her slender arms tightened around his torso slightly, and Link reciprocated the sentiment reassuringly. "I have fought for so long to keep my… feelings for you contained. To never let anyone know how I felt. And now—now I'm suddenly free to express myself, and that… I'm so… so happy…" Link felt Mipha's head tilt up to look at him, and he lowered his own to meet her amber gaze. Her cherubic face radiated pure joy and warmth, and a calm peace on her face that Link hadn't seen since they had been children. The Hylian Champion would have given anything just to suspend time in that moment forever, with just himself and the person whom he loved the most.

"I, uh…" Mipha pulled back from the embrace slightly to get a proper look at Link while she continued. "I will admit that I… don't quite know what to do with myself now." Link smiled knowingly and moved back as well, letting Mipha's arms drop to her sides so he could grab them in his own.

"That makes two of us, Mipha," said the Hylian quietly, still not accustomed to talking as much. The Zora Princess smiled at the rough quality that his voice held. She'd had been lying to herself if she said that the newfound husky quality to his voice wasn't appreciated on her part.

"You sound so different than before, Link," she remarked softly, reaching with a hand to cup his cheek. "As if you haven't spoken in ages."

"I haven't really had anything to say," admitted the Hylian with a knowing shrug. A caring smile split his lips, and he matched Mipha's caress on his cheek with his own hand on hers. "Until now, at least." An adorable flush washed over the white parts of the young Zora's face, and Mipha withdrew her arms to join them in front of her, prompting Link to do the same. A serene peace permeated the very air around the two Champions, both of them relishing in the warm, gentle ecstasy that came with being together. Nothing could separate the two of them, no force in Hyrule could tear their attention away from the other.

_beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep_ **BEEP** _SHROOOOM_

_*BOOM*_

…or not.

At that moment, the castle walls shook with a massive explosion, and both of the young Champions flinched visibly. Their moment of intimacy forgotten, the pair rushed to grab their weapons before sprinting towards the Sanctum doors to see what was the matter. Just before they could get there, the doors swung open violently, revealing an out of breath Daruk on the other side.

"Thank Hylia you two are still here!" said the Goron, pointing down towards the Second Gatehouse of the castle. Thick black smoke poured from the open windows, and screams could be heard within. "One of the Princess' Guardians got loose, and it's shootin' up the gatehouse! Time to be Champions, pebbles!" With that, the Goron gave a fierce battle cry and curled up into a ball, briskly rolling back down the hill towards the gatehouse.

Mipha and Link ran down after Daruk as fast as they could, leaving trails of dust in their wake. The Zora girl hefted her Lightscale Trident confidently as they approached the entrance to the gatehouse, said gate already in its lifted position as the Link watched countless Sheikah scientists flee from the smoking building.

_beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep_ **BEEP** _SHROOOOM_

Another beam of blue energy blasted towards the Champions, who barely had time to duck before it coasted right over their heads, exploding against the nearby cliffside. "Great Zora!" Mipha exclaimed as the dust settled. "I'd heard from the Princess the Guardians were powerful, but that was nearly unbelievable!" Finally gathering their wits, Mipha and Link rushed into the gatehouse to be met with the imposing presence of an active Guardian Stalker. Its corrupted circuits glowed an eerie amethyst, and its bright eye scavenged the demolished tower for its next target, red laser scanning the charred stone walls for anything that moved. Link watched in horror as the flickering red beam settled on his own chest.

"Run, Link!" Mipha shouted, springing into action and charging the Guardian. "Evade!" As the ancient stalker powered up its next shot from the top of its scuttling legs, Mipha dashed forward with great agility, her trident bobbing slightly as she ran.

_beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep…_

Just before the machine could let a shot off, Mipha used the Lightscale as a support pole to vault herself into the air, twirling mid-jump to land feet first on the Guardian. Wasting no time at all, she began stabbing at the machine's eye with her trident, disrupting its charge.

**BEEP** _SHROOOOM_

The confused Guardian twitched and its shot misfired, the beam heading straight for Daruk instead of Link. Luckily, the Goron had time to slam his fists together and trigger his trademark protection barrier, the red shield springing up around him and deflecting the shot against the stone walls.

"We gotta turn its lasers against it, little guy!" shouted Daruk as the Stalker began scuttling around, retargeting Link as Mipha continually tried to distract it by stabbing at it with her trident. It was doing damage, but obviously not enough to destabilize the thing any time soon. "My protection can deflect the shots, but I can't aim 'em worth a darn. Try to find a shield! Mipha 'n I will keep Sparky here busy." Link nodded and scampered off to find a suitable shield, hearing both Champions give reinvigorated battle cries.

Frantically, the young Hylian searched around the perimeter of the gatehouse's inner walls, trying to keep the Stalker's attention off of him. From his time in the Academy, Link knew that all Hyrule defense outposts required a storage area for emergency weapons; a stash that included an excellent variety of Royal Guard weapons, including their golden shields.

_beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep…_

His eyes flickered back to the battle for a half second, watching Mipha straddle the Guardian by what equated as its neck, repeatedly stabbing the Lightscale in any crevasse she could find. Daruk was stomping back and forth, almost dancing with the Stalker as he struggled to get in range with his Boulder Breaker. Link could hear the Guardian charging a laser, but the targeting light wasn't on any of the Champions…

**BEEP** _SHROOOOM_

_*BOOM*_

_Din, please let that be anything but the emergency armory…_ Link's last-second prayer was completely ignored as a warped and half-melted shield landed at his feet, indicating that the stalker had indeed blown up the supply of arms Link had been scavenging for.

"We're runnin' out of time, little guy!" said Daruk, swinging Boulder Breaker in a wide arc and just barely missing the Guardian as it crawled out of the way. The sudden movement jolted Mipha from her parasitic place on the Stalker's back, causing her to drop her trident and lose her grip. She might have been able to regain her grip, if not for Daruk's follow-up backhand swing striking true, tipping the Guardian onto its side and flinging poor Mipha off its back and against a wall with a sickening _crack._

Link's blood ran cold as the Stalker quickly righted itself, deftly pinning Daruk to the ground with two of its sturdy metallic legs. As the struggling Goron fought for freedom, the Stalker turned its twitchy head and directed its targeting laser on a different target… the prone Mipha, who had yet to even stir. In that instant, Link's higher functions shut down and his mind reverted to pure instinct.

_beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep…_

As he heard the laser fire begin to charge, Link broke into a breakneck sprint, his agility putting even the finest runner to shame. _I'm not going to be quick enough, I'm not going to be quick enough…_ A flash of something circular and wooden on the ground caught Link's eye as he ran, and without a moment's hesitation he dove into a roll, picking up the object as he ran, pleased to find that it, at the very least, had a handle for him to grip.

Time moved at a snail's pace. Dim tendrils of blue energy began materializing in the air surrounding the Guardian's eye as Link neared to ten yards. At five yards, the red light disappeared from Mipha's torso, and Link threw himself into another roll to give him a few extra feet of distance. As he exited the roll and hefted the object he'd grabbed in order to defend both him and Mipha, only one thought ran through the boy's mind;

_Am I holding an honest-to-Hylia pot lid?!_

**BEEP** _SHROOOOM_

Time instantaneously sped back up to normal, and all of Link's vision was filled with blinding blue light. In that split second, the Hylian realized that there was no way the pot lid could withstand a dead-on impact with the laser, so he improvised. Just before the beam made contact with the wood, he swung the improvised shield with all the force he would muster, and the movement cleanly reflected the laser directly back in the direction it had come; straight into the volatile Guardian's eye. Components and machinery crackled as the Guardian lost its footing, letting a relieved Daruk slip out from one of its malfunctioning legs.

"We gotta get out of here, little guy!" shouted the Goron as he appeared by Link and Mipha's side. "That thing looks like its gonna—."

_*WHOOOOOOOOOM*_

A rush of sapphire flames erupted from the Guardian's quivering frame as its malfunctioning core ignited, releasing the pent-up store of energy that normally would power its ungodly lasers. The wave of heat and energy would have completely vaporized the three Champions and doomed Hyrule to eternal malice if it hadn't been for Daruk's quick thinking. The Goron had managed to curl himself around the two smaller Champions, triggering his protection as he did so. This protected them from the danger of the flames and energy, but the blunt force was enough to send the off-balance Goron and his protectees flying through the air straight into a scorched wall.

As the dust settled and the ringing began to fade from Daruk's ears, he deactivated his protection and looked down worriedly at the two smaller Champions that had most likely suffered a worse journey through the air than he. Mipha, poor Zora, was still unconscious, a nasty looking cut tracing its way down the side of her face and onto her neck. Daruk winced in guilt; his poorly-timed strike against the Guardian had been the one to take her out of the fight. He'd have to be more careful in the future, especially when fighting alongside his somewhat less-sturdy comrades…

Daruk's guilt faded and was replaced by a small grin as he realized that Link had conked out as well, the young Hylian's compact frame splayed atop Mipha's. Link seemed to be in much better condition than the Zora was, probably just exhausted. _You did good, little guy_ , thought the Goron proudly, leaning down to scoop the two prone Champions into his arms to carry them back to the castle's infirmary. _I can't believe he took that thing out with one swing of a pot lid. That little Hylian's got some Goron blood in him somewhere, I'd wager._

Walking past the scorched remains of the Guardian Stalker and out of the ruined gatehouse, Daruk watched as a crowd of Hylian soldiers ran into the smoking gatehouse, each carrying a pail of water to douse any leftover flames from the conflict. "It's about time you Pebblits showed up!" laughed Daurk as the soldiers ran by. "We already showed that overgrown anvil who's boss." The captain of the battalion that was working to scan over the wreckage stopped in front of Daruk.

"I thank you for your bravery, great Daruk," said the Hylian gratefully, giving a small bow, "but what has become of Champions Link and Mipha? Are they alright?" Daruk grinned, and he would have pumped his fists if he weren't already carrying his two companions.

"Don't you worry about these two," Daruk said, stopping himself before he could add on _lovebirds._ He wasn't quite sure how open Link and Mipha were willing to be about their newfound relationship, and he wasn't about to divulge too much behind their backs. "The little guy here just needs some rest, and I think Miss Mipha should be alright after some stitches." The Hylian captain nodded gratefully, then made like he was trying to peek around Daruk's shoulders.

"Where are Champions Urbosa and Revali?" asked the captain curiously. "Were they not here to help subdue the Sheikah weapon?" Daruk grinned mischievously, but he shook his head in response.

"They went to go rest up after our Dinsday dinner with the Princess," Daruk said somewhat honestly. "I saw the two go off together towards our quarters and haven't seen 'em since. They should be fine." The Goron realized a bit too late that his words could possibly be misconstrued and considered correcting himself, but eventually decided against it. _I think those two squabbling ostriches could use a little more trouble by gossip,_ thought the Goron Champion as he waved his farewells to the Hylian captain, who had dashed into the gatehouse to help his regiment. _Trial by rumor-fire ought to force those two to at least have a frank discussion with each other about their issues. Hopefully._

With a sigh, Daruk readjusted the unconscious Champions he held in his arms as he glanced back towards the desolated gatehouse, which was currently backdropped by the setting Hyrule sun, casting an eerie shadow across the tower. "Brother, Princess Zelda's _not_ gonna be happy about this." The Goron shrugged his massive shoulders and continued on his way. "Well, I guess it's a good thing I got her one of those Ancient Core thingies…"

Even if a tower was destroyed and some technology was lost, Daruk couldn't help but still be happy that they had at least all gotten out alive. When you lived a life as simple as Daruk's, staying alive to fight another day with your closest friends was enough. _You don't always need to climb the whole mountain range at once,_ Daruk thought, remembering a Goron proverb. _Sometimes, climbin' one mountain at a time is the best way to go._ Daruk cast another glance back at the gatehouse, where the Guardian Stalker's remains lay.

_One mountain down. Who knows how many more to go._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I suppose I owe a little credit to Daruk's in-game diary for providing the inspiration of the Guardian attack and the chapter's title.
> 
> We saw Urbosa and Revali begin to edge uncomfortably around the reason why they can't stand each other, and I was almost tempted to let Urbosa beat Revali's head in. Unfortunately, Daruk wouldn't stand for that in the slightest. Strong and simple-minded the Goron may be, but he's much smarter a and more philosophical than his muscles would have you believe. Still, our favorite Gerudo and Rito are starting to realize that the other person won't just back down without a fight; things are going to get much more interesting before they get along. Their pride is going to get the better of them both, and the cataclysm ought to be just as fun to read as it'll be to write it.
> 
> The "angst" portion of Lipha has drawn to a close, but I'm not anywhere near done with them, don't you guys worry! The rest of this story will see them being as adorable together as possible, and also trying to hide their relationship for a while until they get comfortable... basically, I've got a decent amount of content in the wings for these two.


	7. En Garde, You Miserable Cucco

"RISE N' SHINE, PEBBLES!"

Revali, who'd been peacefully asleep at the time, yelped awake at hearing the rumbling voice of Daruk from just outside his personal quarters. In his panicked surprise, the Rito archer rolled the wrong way and fell straight on the floor with a comical _thump._ Growling to himself and shaking off the weariness that was clouding his mind, Revali pushed himself to his feet and straightened his clothes as best he could. _Someone in our little entourage needs to keep their appearances up,_ thought the Rito as he preened himself quickly.

Grumbling about thick-headed Gorons, the archer moved to grab his Great Eagle Bow from beside his stand and the quiver Urbosa had given him as he prepared to investigate the ruckus. Before he could, his door blasted open, hinges groaning in protest as an excitable Goron appeared in the doorway.

"What's takin' ya so long, Revali?" asked Daruk, completely oblivious to the fact that he was massively encroaching on the already-annoyed Rito's privacy. "It's almost halfway to noon." A scowl etched itself on Revali's beak as he crossed his wings.

"I was enjoying some much-needed rest, I'll have you know," he said coolly, glaring at the Goron. "One tends to crave that when they've had their head bashed in with another's." Revali's not-so-subtle jab was thankfully noticed by Daruk, who at least had the sense to look mildly embarrassed.

"Yeah, that one's my bad, buddy," said Daruk, sheepishly scratching the back of his head with Bolder Breaker suspended in his other hand. "I just hate seein' my teammates fightin' with each other, no matter the reason. I know it's not my business, but I think you should try ta make amends with Urbosa. Just sayin'." Revali scoffed and rolled his eyes theatrically. _Of course, the simple-minded brute of our team wants peace between us,_ thought the Rito. _Can't he see that some people inherently dislike each other, and that not much can be done about it?_ Despite his thoughts, Revali knew that Daruk had a point. For the betterment of their team, and for the assured safety of the kingdom of Hyrule, it was imperative that he and Urbosa learn to, at the very least, tolerate being in the same room with each other.

_I'm not sure saving Hyrule is worth it, frankly._

"Why did you wake me up?" asked Revali as he surfaced from his thoughts, finally getting back to what he'd wanted to originally ask the Goron, who was scratching his chin thoughtfully.

"Well, the Princess said she needed to talk with the King for a bit," began Daruk, "so we should get started on the exercise she had planned for us. Urbosa's already waitin' for us down by the castle gates to start our warm-up run."

"Warm-up run?" parroted the Rito, already dreading the rest of the day's events if this was how their little exercise was starting out. He was built for _flying,_ not _running,_ for kingdom's sake. "What about Mipha and the little Hylian? Won't they be joining us?" Daruk's response was prefaced by a brisk shake of the head.

"Nope, they're both still out cold from the Guardian attack last night," Daruk said, pointedly looking at Revali as he prepared to get indignant. "Which you didn't come to help with, if my memory's right." Revali was flustered for a moment, he had to admit, but it took him no time at all to recover.

"I happened to be nursing an injury of my own, if you recall," he snapped. Daruk smiled sheepishly again, but offered no second apology. "Besides, you three managed to deal with it with me absent. Shouldn't you all be proud of yourselves that you can do something by yourselves?"

"Hey, now that there's uncalled for, little Rito," said the Goron, hefting Boulder Breaker over his shoulder as a frown crossed his usually amicable face. Revali couldn't help but turn his head and scoff at his defense.

"I get a lot of unwarranted criticism too, Daruk," he said, his voice a cross between indignant and resigned. "You've got no place to argue. I'm only returning the favor." The Goron Champion went silent as he pondered the Rito's words, and the archer huffed to himself as he turned to grab his bow. Just as his feathered fingers curled around the weapon, he heard the Goron's response.

"I guess you're right about me not understandin' where you come from," admitted Daruk, lowering Boulder Breaker and scratching his chin again. "But maybe you should take the chance to prove that you're better than the rest of the world." Revali's head inadvertently twitched in curiosity, but he forced himself not to turn and face the Goron.

"What do you mean by that?" he asked in a quiet mumble, surprised to find himself genuinely curious.

"With all this negativity that's bein' put on ya," Daruk said, "I think it'd mean a lot if you just let it roll off your back. You know you're better than that, so why not try 'n prove it?" Daruk let his words sit in the silence between them for a moment before giving a grunt and walking off. Revali sighed as the slung the Great Eagle Bow across his back, shaking his head.

_I suppose he's right,_ Revali said as he equipped Urbosa's quiver and checked that it was full of arrows. _The world has been giving me an opportunity to prove myself and I've been ignoring it for all this time. As a Champion, I need to do better._

_But what of Urbosa?_ he wondered as well. More likely than not, she wouldn't be quite so accepting of the new attitude that Daruk had suggested for him. If anything, silence and lack of a reaction on his part would probably be confirmation to the insufferable Gerudo woman that her teasing words were having their intended effect. _I need to make a peace offering,_ Revali decided, _or at the very least act less hostile towards her._ In thinking this, Revali's gaze flickered to the scented ribbon he'd received as a gift from the bothersome swordswoman. Against his better judgement, he reached for the ribbon and tied it around the lower part of his bow.

_It's not like I'm saying I care for her at all, since she didn't even know what this custom was,_ thought Revali as he tried to rationalize his completely irrational compulsion. _It's nothing but a simple acknowledgement of her gesture of good faith._ The Rito refused to think on that any further.

For whatever unknown reason, Urbosa seemed to have taken a special interest in Revali and, as much as he hated to admit it, that sentiment was reciprocated. Urbosa had been far from the first person to criticize and rag on him endlessly, but what set her apart from the rest of Hyrule seemed to be her reason _why._ Jealousy and contempt for his personality seemed to be the top two reasons for most others speaking badly of him, but not Urbosa. It was strange, the Rito reflected. His intrigue about the Gerudo woman hadn't spawned from attraction nor hatred of her; it was instead because Urbosa insulted him for a different reason than everyone else, and it was almost a personal challenge to see if he could discern what exactly that reason was.

_I swear this woman is going to be the death of me one day,_ Revali thought as he left for Zelda's training session. _If that's not the case, then I'll probably be the death of her. Goddesses help us._

/-\\-/-\/-\\-/-\

Princess Zelda watched as her three Champions rounded the final corner of Hyrule Castle's perimeter. She'd decreed that their warm-up should consist of five laps around the moat that encircled the castle, and she now stood at the metallic entry gates awaiting their return. Urbosa, to absolutely no one's surprise, finished first, stopping next to the young Hylian girl as the Gerudo swept stray locks of scarlet hair behind her head. An out-of-breath grin came onto Urbosa's face.

"Glad to see you made it, my little bird," she said, lightly bumping the much smaller girl in a playful fashion. "I was worried that you wouldn't be able to make it for your own training session!" Zelda smiled herself, but it quickly eroded into a frown as she recalled the reason for her tardiness.

"Father wanted to speak to me for a moment," Zelda said, almost to herself. "In regards to the Guardian malfunction last evening, that is." That was certainly a moment she would gladly forget in a heartbeat. Despite the already soul-crushing weight of the responsibility that rested on her shoulders with regards to unlocking her Triforce's power, Zelda's passion for the ancient Sheikah technology only made things more strenuous for the politics of the kingdom. And that had been _before_ they started going on destructive rampages. She had already been on shaky ground with her father beforehand, but now that a gatehouse had been destroyed…

Urbosa immediately understood what plagued Zelda. "He's threatened to forbid your research with the Divine Beasts, isn't he?" The Princess shook her head glumly.

"All because of one mistake," she said, forcing her voice to remain even, despite the emotions that tried to upset it. "I had to beg and plead with him to give me another chance… but I'm not sure how long that will last. I am worried that I may be out of chances." Urbosa inhaled deeply, and Zelda could see that some of her frustration had rubbed off on the Gerudo warrior.

"I really do think this world would be better off without some voe in them," Urbosa mumbled, running an exasperated hand through her mane of frazzled crimson hair. "Zelda, my dear, you do what you think is right. If you truly believe that these Guardians and our Divine Beasts are the keys to saving Hyrule from Ganon, then by all means pursue your research. I know that when the time comes, you'll know exactly what to do."

The Hylian Princess smiled and bowed her head, bringing her hand up to her chest and linking them together. Urbosa always, _always_ knew what to say to her when she was feeling dejected or inadequate, and that was one of the reasons she so valued their friendship. Zelda was about to continue the conversation, but a tremor in the earth that shook the foundations of the gates interrupted her.

"What in Hylia's name is _that?"_ she yelped, inadvertently clinging to the steadfast Gerudo for support. Urbosa's eyes narrowed in confusion for a moment, and Zelda caught her hand moving towards her scimitar hilt… but all tension in the Gerudo eased as she let out a hearty laugh and pointed towards the corner she'd just come around.

"Fear not, my little bird," Urbosa said as the rumbling strengthened, and even her lighthearted tone wasn't enough to ease Zelda's apprehensions. "For 'tis not an earthquake, but instead it be the steps of the mighty Goron." As if on cue, Daruk suddenly appeared around the bend, curled up into a ball and barreling towards the two females at a pace that was impressively brisk for what was essentially a giant boulder. Zelda's anxiety returned full-force when Daruk's velocity seemed unlikely to change as he charged towards them. Miraculously, the Goron managed to uncurl himself and skid to a halt just a few feet away from the pair of women, one cowering behind the other. Despite her initial unease, the pure joy on Daruk's face was enough to alleviate it, at least somewhat.

"I haven't run that much at once in a good long while!" Daruk said energetically, pumping his fists in the air. "Ya need to have us do this _every day,_ Princess, 'cause that was greater than a topaz rock roast!" Zelda smiled in spite of herself, glad to see that at least someone seemed to enjoy her idea.

"I'm glad to see you're enjoying yourself, Daruk," said the Hylian girl, her smile only growing more genuine with time. "Although, I must ask; where is Revali? Did he not come with you?" A sudden gust of wind provided Zelda with her answer, and the trio looked up to see a blue speck looping above them in the late morning sky. Revali, because of course it was he, looped into a steep dive before slowing his rapid descent with a showy spiral. Ending his arrival with a flourish and a bow, the pride of the Rito smiled confidently.

"No need to worry, Princess," he said, smoothing over some feathers that had been ruffled mid-flight. "Despite my late start, I was able to use my superior abilities in flight to effortlessly catch up to my fellow Champions." Zelda smiled, glad that the Rito could make it, but a scoff from Urbosa stopped her in her tracks.

"Effortlessly?" asked the Gerudo with a cocked hip and eyebrow. "As far as I knew, a warm-up entails some modicum of effort, _my fellow Champion."_ Zelda's brow knit in confusion at the sudden spike in annoyance and spite that materialized in Urbosa's tone. One minute she was fine, the next her hair is about to light on fire?

Evidently, Revali was suffering the same thing. "You'll find that one has no need of warming up when they can take down hordes of enemies _effortlessly,_ thanks to prowess with the bow." Urbosa stepped forward, eyes already narrowed, and Zelda didn't miss how her mother-figure's hand was on the hilt of her incredibly sharp weapon. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Daruk shake his head. She may have been imagining things, but she _swore_ she heard the Goron mutter "here we go again" under his breath.

"Well, it doesn't matter who's done effort or not!" Daruk exclaimed suddenly, wrapping his arms around his comrades and bringing them in for what looked like an extremely uncomfortable hug. "The Princess is gonna tell us what our exercise is, and I'm so excited I could just pick both of ya right up! Do ya get me?" Much to Zelda's surprise, both Champions immediately pushed away from the Goron (nervously?) and gave their simultaneous agreement. _That was a bit odd,_ the Princess thought as the squabbling Champions readjusted themselves under Daruk's looming grin. _At least they seem to have stopped their bickering._

"I'm certainly glad you all share Daruk's enthusiasm," Zelda said, her smile returning to her face. "The exercise I have for you all today is to get out of your comfort zones." Brief confusion flashed across the three Champions' faces.

"Comfort zones?" asked Revali, suspicion thick in his tone. "This isn't going to be some gimmicky team-building exercise, is it?" Zelda shook her head.

"No, of course not, Master Revali," she deadpanned. "I've saved that for later, when Princess Mipha and my guard have recovered, so we can all experience the horrors together. This should be much more amusing in the meantime." Her attempt at brevity was met with two chuckles and one exasperated groan.

"I have realized that each of you specialize in a certain form of combat," Zelda continued. "Lady Urbosa is unmatched with her one-handed swordplay and shield dexterity, Daruk's strength grants him unmatched potential with two-handed weapons, and Master Revali's aerial prowess helps his unparalleled archery skills." Daruk scratched his chest in confusion, chains rattling loudly.

"I'm pretty sure we knew that, Princess," said the Goron. "Why'd ya bring it up? If we're the best, there really isn't much room to improve, is there…?"

"That is what one would think," Zelda responded, "but I have come up with a better idea. Your exercise will be to take one of your fellow Champions as an apprentice in your style of combat. You'll spend the next few days teaching each other everything you know about your weapons. Now, because of Lady Mipha and Link's incapacitation, I've already assigned you three to each other." She paused for a moment to let her words sink in: Daruk seemed genuinely curious and excited, Urbosa looked pensive, and Revali seemed to be rather anxious about the whole ordeal. _I hope they'll get along with each other for this…_

"Revali, you will teach archery to Daruk. Daruk, in turn, will teach Urbosa to use two-handed weapons. And finally, Lady Urbosa will teach Master Revali swordplay and shield usage." The complaints she received were almost immediate.

"Don't make me work with _her!"_ A feathered finger was pointed towards Urbosa.

"Don't make me work with _him!"_ A slim finger was pointed towards Revali.

"When do we start?" A wide grin was pointed towards Zelda.

Zelda blinked at the simultaneous responses. _Not exactly the rousing enthusiasm I was expecting…_ "Obviously, you will all have to do this one pair at a time," continued the Princess, ignoring the glares being thrown between Gerudo and Rito. "For the sake of our sanity, I think Lady Urbosa should begin her session with Master Revali first. We should probably move to the soldier's training grounds for a better training area…" Wordlessly, Urbosa stalked towards the training grounds as Revali summoned an updraft to propel himself in the same direction. Daruk sighed as Zelda stared after the two sulking Champions.

"I don't think you know what ya just did, Princess," said the Goron, patting her on the back as gently as he could. "Those two are worse than a whole army of Cuccos attackin' one of your Guardians." The rock-eater sighed heavily, then began ambling after his fellow Champions, Zelda in tow.

"They may not care for each other's company very much," Zelda said as she walked alongside Daruk, "but surely they can put aside a petty squabble in order to better their own skills, right?" The Goron beside her chuckled as they walked, shaking his gargantuan head.

"I don't think you've seen those two really annoyed at each other if that's what you think's gonna happen…"

/-\\-/-\\-/-\\-/-\

The first thing Link saw upon opening his eyes was the empty ceiling of the Hyrule Castle medical ward. Blinding sunlight streamed from one of the few open windows in the room as Link's head throbbed violently, his brain pounding against its bony confinements in protest of his discomfort. Trying to move his arms prompted twinges of sore pain to discourage any further movement, and the Hylian Champion's entire form felt irritatingly stiff, as though he'd run 100 miles in his sleep. Even thinking too hard caused his brain to cry out in discomfort, but despite that Link forced himself to remember how he'd gotten to the infirmary. He'd been in the Sanctum, then Daruk had come yelling about a Guardian… they'd all gone to fight it, and Mipha had gotten thrown off…

_Mipha!_

Link bolted upright as he remembered the Zora Princess' potentially bone-breaking collision with the stone wall of a gatehouse, pushing his own pain to the side as he searched his surroundings for Mipha's likely prone form. He'd never be able to forgive himself if she came to harm when he could have protected her… and his panic was made worse by the fact that he didn't see her in any of the other empty medical beds. Link felt like he'd been stabbed in the heart with a rusty dagger, tearing a soul-sucking void in his chest. _She's not here,_ he thought in his panic, even his thoughts beginning to sound distressed as he struggled to get his aching form up and out of the bed. _Where is she? Is she—?_

"Mph. Stop moving so much, Link."

The Hylian in question froze as he suddenly became aware of an arm that was gently wrapped around his torso, and a warm body that pressed against his back. Looking down almost in fear, Link saw Mipha resting at his side, eyes closed in peace. The wound that had traced itself down the side of her face and neck was all stitched up and seemed to be doing well. Marveling at the fact that Mipha had not only survived and was well, but also that she was curled up next to him, Link could do nothing but smile. Said Zora smiled on her own, eyes still closed, and he felt her arm's grip tighten around him slightly.

"I am certain you're busy worrying about me," she whispered quietly, tugging him back down towards the cushion they rested on. "There is no need. I am not a fragile statuette, Link; I can pancake against a stone wall once or twice just like you can." Red heat crept its way up Link's face and ears in embarrassment. Mipha, guessing his reaction, widened her smile and opened her eyes, sitting up and moving her arms from his torso and down to grip his hand that lay between them. The young Zora glanced over at Link, smiling at him and giving his hand a reassuring squeeze.

"You're alright," muttered Link in disbelief losing himself in Mipha's soft amber eyes, "I-I didn't fail you."

"Of course, you didn't, Link. Even if I hadn't made it out of there I still would never blame—oh!" Mipha's short reassurance was cut short as Link quickly wrapped her in a tight hug. Immediately, the Zora girl could tell that the gesture wasn't out of affection for her at all; it was pure relief that caused him to smother her in a bear hug. That said, it wasn't like she wasn't going to allow herself to enjoy the close contact. Instead, she lifted her arms to return his almost desperate embrace.

"I didn't fail you, Mipha," Link said in a way that sounded like he was still trying to convince himself that she was alright. "You're safe." Although he was quite warm and being very sweet at the moment, Mipha forced herself to gently push away from their embrace so she could properly look the Hylian Champion in the eye.

"Look at me, Link," said the Zora Princess softly, cupping one of the shaken boy's cheek in one of her hands. "I need you to listen. You will never— _ever_ —fail me. You are strong, brave, and kind; all I could ever ask for in a lo—erm, companion." Mipha's impassioned speech faltered for a moment as she skirted around a certain descriptor that neither of them were ready for at the moment. It only took the Zora girl a half-second to regain her composure and continue.

"I want you to promise something to me right now, Link," Mipha said, relinquishing her grip on his hand in favor of a stern clasp on his shoulder. The Hylian Champion felt his blood chill slightly; a promise to the one he cared about most made him uneasy with all that was happening with Calamity Ganon. Promises one couldn't keep were the worst kind, and he'd hate to make one of those with Mipha, of all people.

"Promise me," began the Zora Princess, "that no matter what happens; if either of us are hurt or Nayru-forbid killed, that we do _not_ blame ourselves." Link's unease turned into confusion, but he didn't get a chance to voice any questions. "Pain is something we will have to endure, Link, and I do not want you to drown yourself in guilt should something happen to me." Mipha's seriousness gave way to empathy and warm care, her soft-scaled hand moving further up to caress Link's cheek. A gleaming film came over her beautiful amber eyes, and Link could feel his throat begin to close up.

"Promise me that you won't destroy yourself because of me," implored the injured Zora, "and I will promise to do the same. Please." Link blinked his eyes rapidly to rid them of the tears that had been building up, and overcome with emotion the Hylian could help but draw Mipha in for another hug. This one somehow seemed more intimate than the one they'd shared in the Sanctum, possibly because of the emotionally-charged request that Mipha had set between them.

"I promise, Mipha," he whispered quietly, squeezing the girl tighter in his arms as more tears threatened to free themselves from his irises. "I promise."

"Good," sighed the Zora girl against his shoulder, her voice now carrying a note of exhaustion that had been absent during the asking of her promise. Peaceful silence spawned between the two and expanded like a bubble, encompassing the youthful lovers in an aura of serene calm. After a moment, Mipha spoke up again.

"Is hugging a coping mechanism of yours, Link?" she asked quietly, pulling back so she could see Link's sky-blue eyes. A subtle grin eclipsed the neutrality of her face, and she saw the red spread a bit higher. "Or are you just taking any excuse you can to touch me?" Link's embarrassment seemed to be complete, and Mipha couldn't help a flustered giggle of her own as the Hylian boy withdrew his arms into himself. It was most unlike her to make such a teasing comment; one would better expect such a pass to be made by the rambunctious Urbosa instead of the meek Mipha, but she'd made the comment regardless. Unsurprisingly, being with Link emboldened her somewhat, his presence giving her courage she wouldn't otherwise have.

"Has anyone ever told you how adorable you look when you're embarrassed, Link?" Mipha's giggle turned into a bout of laughter as Link did the best he could to hide himself from her mirthful eyes. Grabbing at the young Hylian's shoulders and meeting some resistance, Mipha rolled her amber eyes and sighed theatrically. "Look at me, Link. Come now, am I really so horrid to look at?" Reluctantly, and after some more prying, Mipha finally got Link to face her again. She smiled at seeing the sweet embarrassment on her favorite Hylian's face.

"Lay back down," Mipha said, tugging at his torso. "Please. We need to rest." Link's brows furrowed in confusion.

"Do we really?" he asked, rubbing his forehead and looking out the window again, seeing that the day was well on its way. "We both seem to be in pretty good shape…" Mipha sighed tiredly, laying all the way down and trying to drag Link with her as an uncontrollable yawn forced its way out of her mouth.

"Liiiiiiiiiiiiink," she mumbled tiredly, half-heartedly tugging at the Hylian's waist. "Just lay down with me…" The Hero of Time realized that he should probably get up and start moving sometime soon if he wanted to soothe his multitude of sore muscles… but a quick glance at Mipha's peaceful face as she settled down to continue resting allayed any thought of leaving. Galvanized in his decision to stay, Link settled down next to Mipha, letting the drowsy Zora draw him in close to her exhausted form. As the two drifted off into comfortable companionable sleep, Link couldn't help but find it ironic that the best healer he'd ever known was just as wounded and sore as he. He couldn't think of any other reason why she'd ever be as fatigued as she was.

Mipha, on the other hand, grinned to herself as she felt Link settle in against her. _Maybe I can stand to stay in the infirmary for a biiiiit longer,_ thought the Zora Princess as sleep overtook her. _For medical purposes._

/-\\-/-\\-/-\\-/-\

"Can we start simple? I'm sure you know that brutish metal-swinging is not my forte."

"Of course, Revali. I'll honor my apprentice's request."

History had the potential to be made on the training grounds that day. After all, the greatest Gerudo swordswoman was prepared to teach the pride of the Rito all she knew about her craft. Two masters of combat, one melee and the other ranged, were set to push their boundaries and exceed all expectations set for them by the entire kingdom.

"This," Urbosa began, drawing her Scimitar of the Seven and turning the blade over in her hands, "is a _sword._ You may have heard of it as a tool for cutting open annoying birds. Like pompous Cuccos, for instance."

Then again… maybe the hallowed Champions would act exactly the same as they normally do. In that case… anything goes?

Revali huffed at Urbosa's smart comment, and turned to Zelda and Daruk, who were sitting on a bench off to the side from the dusty combat grounds. "Do I have to learn from her?" he complained, jerking a wing in the Gerudo's direction, who was wearing a poorly-concealed grin. "I'd rather take an arrow to the knee, to be honest…"

"How do you think _I_ feel?" asked Urbosa mirthfully, before twirling her blade between her fingers skillfully. "Now, Revali. The first thing any respectable swordswoman does with their weapon is get familiar with it. Learn where its center of mass is, how it feels in your grip, and such…" Flicking her wrist, Urbosa sent her scimitar twirling through the air. As the gleaming weapon reached its peak, Urbosa slipped Daybreaker out from her back and twisted her arm upside-down, holding the face towards Revali with her wrist facing upwards. In the next second, her scimitar's point fell straight through Daybreaker's leather grip, the hilt stopping it in place just millimeters from the Gerudo's fingers before it could hit the ground. With a sharp twist of her arm, Urbosa rotated Daybreaker and slipped the Scimitar of the Seven out from its newfound sheath, shifting into a battle position. Scimitar and shield raised, a wry smirk slipped unbidden on the Gerudo's face as she flicked her mane of crimson hair back. It was all very casual; as casual as one could be while holding a weapon as long as their forearm.

"Shall we begin?" Urbosa asked, relaxing her stand and sheathing her weapons. Revali managed to wipe the impressed look off his face before anyone began to suspect him of admiring the Gerudo's skill. The Rito nodded, reaching over to a weapon's rack and picking a Feathered Edge from the multitude of blades. Revali hefted the light shortsword gingerly, not entirely comfortable with having such a barbaric weapon in his wings. _Din, do I miss my bow right now…_

"Fine," Revali said eventually, letting his sword arm drop limply to his side. "I guess this'll do for now." Urbosa nodded, satisfied with Revali's choice, and moved herself to stand behind the Rito, who tried to follow her and was met with light flick in the back of his head.

"What was that for?" he snapped, trying to turn around only to be thwarted again by a follow-up smack. _Insufferable woman._

"Don't follow me," Urbosa said, Revali only able to hear her voice as he uneasily acquiesced to her request and forced his head to stay forward. It took much more willpower than one might imagine. "I need to be behind you to properly show the technique." Without warning, Urbosa's hands reached forwards and grabbed Revali's wrists, prompting a sharp jerk from the Rito.

"What are you—?!"

"Relax, Revali," said Urbosa, her voice unnervingly close to his ear as her grip maintained around his wrists. "This is to show you the correct arm movement for basic strikes. You can handle that, right?"

"Yes," muttered the uncomfortable archer through his clenched beak. "I can." Urbosa chuckled, and Revali did his best not to flinch as he felt her warm breath ruffle the feathers on the back of his head. Actually, her touch was starting to make him a tad nervous, especially since they weren't exactly on the best terms at the moment… _Yes, of course,_ quipped a voice in the back of his head. _That's definitely the only reason you're uneasy at being held by Urbosa._

Revali decided that his subconscious needed to take a hike in the Hebra Mountains and get crushed by a Stalnox.

"Excellent," said Urbosa, unaware of Revali's discomfort. "Just let me guide you through the first few motions, then you try it on your own." Reluctantly, Revali allowed his Gerudo teacher to move his arms in fluid motions, slashing slow, wide arcs in the air.

"Don't just stand there like a fat sand seal, Revali," huffed Urbosa in his ear as she tried to guide him. "At least get your wrists to stop flapping about aimlessly. You try to stab anyone like that, and the only injury they'll suffer will be a sore throat from laughing." Narrowing his eyes in annoyance, the Rito in question straightened his wrists and, to his surprise, found that the guided slashes felt much stronger.

Guessing at his revelation (and his defiance), Urbosa chuckled behind him, warm breath displacing a few more feathers and sending an inadvertent chill down the avian's spine. "Feels better, right? Smoother, at least?"

_Yes, it actually does,_ admitted the Rito to himself as he was guided through the techniques. _She's actually a semi-decent teacher when she's not being an obnoxious miscreant._ With each passing repetition, the archer found himself adapting bit by bit to the weight and feel of his Feathered Edge. It was then that it struck Revali just how different training with melee weapons was to training with a bow. An archer focused on repetition, accuracy, and practiced aim. Every target, every shot, every arrow would fly in a pre-calculated, predictable path. 

Swordplay, or at least how Urbosa taught it, seemed to be based on split-second reactions and adapting to your opponent in the heat of battle; it was an art of combat less about striking with well-rehearsed ease and more about analyzing one's opponent and besting them before they get the drop on you. Revali would be lying to himself if he'd said he didn't find the concept the slightest bit interesting. As he accustomed himself to the routine, Revali began to anticipate the pattern and make the movements, the Rito found that he was gradually relaxing into Urbosa's grip, allowing the Gerudo to move his arms when she began making the cuts faster and sharper. Her hands on his began to feel less like a complete annoyance and more like… something else. Revali didn't quite know what exactly that _something else_ was. He had a feeling he wouldn't like it very much when he figured it out, if only because the person causing him said undefined feeling was Urbosa.

_Her hands feel unnaturally warm,_ Revali noted as they completed another set of slashes, suddenly hyper-aware of that fact. _Was it always this sweltering out here?_

Revali felt a pair of feet nudge his own from behind, causing him to jump in surprise as he came from his thoughts. "Now try shifting your feet back and forth in a ready stance," came the smooth voice of the Gerudo. Unnerved by the something else and wanting to distract himself from it, Revali huffed and pushed away from Urbosa, turning to face the confused Gerudo.

"Does this all have to be so interactive?" he asked, letting his arms go limp once again. "What does my feet movement have to do with anything? If I'd had my bow I could pump my enemy full of arrows without taking a step." Urbosa looked like she didn't know whether to be annoyed or confused, and that showed in her scrunched-up face.

"Are you seriously asking if this needs to be interactive?" asked the Gerudo in obvious disbelief, hands slipping to her waist. "Of course it does, you arrogant peacock! Would you train with your bow without bothering to pick it up?" Deciding not to acknowledge that Urbosa had a reasonable point, Revali crossed his arms and huffed, careful not to impale himself while doing so. He shifted his gaze to the benches off to the side of the dueling grounds, where Zelda and Daruk watched with confusion and dread, respectively.

"Can we move on?" he asked, flapping his wings half-heartedly to make his point. "I'd like to get this over with now."

"What's the matter, Revali?" Daruk asked, scratching his chest innocently. "Ya got somewhere to be? 'Cause I'm not really sure that you've got everythin' down just yet."

"And who exactly are you to judge my skills? You're not the one training me."

"As much as I hate to admit it," Urbosa piped up from beside Revali, "the Rito has a point, Daruk. I think I should pass judgement on how his skill progresses." In light of Urbosa's rare cooperation with him, Revali felt humble enough to thank the Gerudo for seeing sense alongside him. _I suppose she's not an intolerable tease all the time._

"Thank you, Urbosa. I completely—."

"That being said, I'm not really sure you've got everything down just yet."

_… I take it back. She's an eternally annoying Voltfruit cactus._

Revali crossed his wings indignantly. "You really think I haven't learned anything yet?" he asked sharply, to which Urbosa responded by narrowing her eyes.

"I never said you haven't learned _anything,"_ Urbosa corrected, "but you've only been training for less than a half hour, Revali. Not exactly enough time to become a master in anything, especially combat."

"I think I would be the best judge in assessing my own skill, wouldn't you agree?" Revali countered, trying to use the Gerudo's words in his own favor. Her response, however, was not at all what he'd been expecting.

"You really think you're all that?" Urbosa asked, settling into a crouch and reaching behind her head to secure her hair. "If you're that certain of your undeniable skill, then you won't mind taking me on in a little one-on-one, would you?" Revali's confidence faltered for a second. He hadn't meant that he thought his skills were on par with her own; only that they were passable enough to allow everyone to move on to the next pair in Zelda's training. _There is no way I'm backing down now,_ Revali realized as he saw Urbosa settle into a battle stance. _I can't afford to give this woman an inch, lest she taunt me about my cowardice for the rest of my days._

Unfortunately, Urbosa mistook Revali's pensiveness for hesitance, and she chuckled. "What, not ready to back up your words with action?" taunted the Gerudo, whipping her scimitar out and leveling the blade at him in an odd parody of the squabble they'd had yesterday. "En garde, you miserable Cucco. Let's see what the mighty Revali's got hidden up his feathers." Before the Rito had a chance to open his beak, much less prepare himself, Urbosa lunged forward like a tigress, whirling around and dealing a backhand slash to Revali, stopping the razor's edge of the Scimitar of the Seven just millimeter from his throat.

"That's one for me," said the Gerudo, backing off a bit and re-positioning herself. "Aren't you going to at least try to defend yourself?" Gritting his beak, Revali tried a parody of what Urbosa had just done, dashing forward for a sneaking uppercut slash. Urbosa effortlessly blocked the strike, as well as the follow-up strike, before punching Revali straight in the face. As the Rito recoiled, Urbosa shook her head.

"Never replicate an opponent's move immediately after they do it," Urbosa said as Revali cradled his throbbing face. "Chances are, they can pull off their own trick better than you can."

"What was that punch for?!" asked Revali indignantly. "I thought this was a swordfight!"

"You have to use everything in an actual fight, not just your blade," said the Gerudo as she deliberately stepped forward to close the distance between them, weapon raised. "Try and attack me again."

_Oh, I'm not going to argue with that…_

Revali tried a horizontal cut this time, feeling the muscle memory from his exercises begin to take over. Much to his shame, Urbosa blocked his sequence of strikes just as effortlessly as before, but her face showed signs of approval.

"Much better," she said as she launched a counter-strike against his torso, the Rito just barely able to block it in time. "See what happens when you follow my advice?" The fact that Urbosa still had mental energy left to lecture him while beating the tar out of him annoyed the archer to no end, fueling his anger and adrenaline further.

"I'll show you that I can fight!" Revali roared, swinging his Feathered Edge straight down in a sloppy helm-splitting maneuver. While Urbosa still deflected it, it was obvious by the quick lapse in her facial expressions that she had not expected the power that the strike had possessed. Determined not to give her any time to rest, Revali swung diagonally at her shoulder, then horizontally at her navel, then vertically towards her chin, before repeating the cycle. As the Gerudo blocked each of his swings, the Rito felt himself slip into a rhythm of—.

_WHACK_

Revali's lungs collapsed in on themselves as Urbosa dealt a sudden kick to his midsection, whisking what little air he still had right out of his lungs and sending him toppling onto the dusty ground. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Zelda and Daruk stand in shock; obviously, neither of them had expected their impromptu spar to escalate that far.

"Did you think I wouldn't be able to recognize a three-strike pattern?" shouted Urbosa, a tinge of rage evident in her voice as Revali coughed on the ground, trying to inhale more air instead of dust. "Predictability might be nice and pretty for a perfectionist archer like yourself, but being predictable in a swordfight will get you killed. Get your sorry rump out of the dirt and attack me like you mean it."

Rage built up in Revali's chest, expanding its burning drive to the rest of his body. _I'll show you an attack,_ he thought as he stood shakily, readying his blade once again. "I'll show you an attack!" roared Revali, lunging forward again and delivering blow after blow randomly to Urbosa's frame. Each slash of his Feathered Edge was instantly met with a response by Urbosa's scimitar, the clashing blades sending a resonant ring through the entire training area as the two's squabble began to draw a crowd of soldier. The Hylians were as curious to see the outcome of the fight as both its participants were.

It got to a point where Revali actually thought he was holding his own in the fight; after a full minute of back and forth slashing, countering, and a few well-placed punches on Urbosa's part, the two of them had yet to concede. Despite that, Revali could feel himself wearing down much quicker than he'd anticipated. If he wanted to leave the fight victorious, and with his dignity still intact, he knew he needed to end the conflict as soon as possible.

Revali tired for another helm-splitter, but the downwards slash was once again deflected by Urbosa, who launched a swipe of her own at Revali's neck, which he was barely able to duck below in time. Taking advantage of his lower position, Revali used his non-sword wing and punch Urbosa in the stomach with all the might he could muster.

The punch caught the Gerudo more off-guard than anything, but a slight stumble was all Revali needed. The Rito swiftly swung his Feathered Edge horizontally, going straight for Urbosa's armored breastplate. The off-guard swordswoman was able to deflect the strike, but it was sloppier than her other counters. Their blades caught at an awkward angle, and Revali heard an unnatural _crack_ spring from the contact. However, he was already making motions for his follow-up strike, which Urbosa moved to block as well.

Everything happened very slowly after that. The second their blades made contact, Revali's Feathered Edge shattered, causing a small shockwave to send his Gerudo attacker stumbling back several paces as shrapnel flew everywhere, none of it thankfully embedding itself in the Rito. As Urbosa was in the process of falling over, Revali moved towards her, still wielding his now-broken blade and preparing for a finishing strike; he figured a smack to the head with the hilt of his blade would put even the prideful Gerudo out of commission for a while.

It was at that moment he heard a _snap,_. The clear sound pierced cleanly through the frantic chaos they'd created during their spar. In the very next moment, Revali felt his entire body burn with agony as a searing sensation of pain tore its way through his entire body. The Rito's vision turned white and yellow, and he remained paralyzed as Urbosa shocked him with one of her trademark lightning bolts that she was so adept at summoning. An acrid burning smell reached his nostrils, and it occurred to Revali suddenly that his clothes might have very well caught on fire. He felt his wing drop his weapon, not by his own volition, and the pure energetic pain the surged through him expanded and expanded and expanded…

Then, just as quickly as it had arrived, it was gone. A prickling, stinging sensation left Revali unable to move besides a spasming twitch, and all the energy suddenly left him. Exhaustion and fatigue suddenly overrode every part of Revali's being, and he felt himself drop to the floor like a sack of bricks.

He was unconscious before he even hit the ground.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We saw Mipha and Link share an emotional moment together in the infirmary but WHAM BAM STAB STAB STAB SWORDFIGHT! I hope you all enjoyed my first somewhat-drawn-out fight scene; I certainly had a fun time writing it as I visualized each of their moves in slow motion. It was almost like an eternal flurry rush, now that I think about it, and I'm proud with how it turned out. Feel free to tell me what you think!
> 
> Thanks for reading!


	8. Of Apologies and Exasperation

Mipha looked down at Revali as he lay in the infirmary bed that had once been hers not five hours ago. After she and Link had reluctantly gotten up and disentangled themselves, they'd walked around the castle grounds hand-in-hand for a while, enjoying each other's company, until they'd heard the loudest thunderclap in existence and run out to the training grounds to see what had caused it… when they were met with a platoon of Hylian soldiers carrying none other than Revali on their shoulders, frantically making a break for the infirmary. As a healer, Mipha had been called in to help with the Rito Champion's recovery… how he'd gotten injured was still a mystery to Mipha.

The Zoran Princess looked Revali over as he lay on his back, still unconscious from whatever incident had put him in such a state. The poor Rito's feathers were ruffled fiercely, as though he'd tried flying through a hurricane with his eyes closed. Upon closer inspection, Mipha realized that Revali's Rito chest plate was blackened and singed from its original coloring. In fact, the left pectoral was almost completely eaten away, as though it had been set on fire. The Zoran healer realized then that Revali was twitching in his unconsciousness every now and then… and that he smelled thickly of ozone.

_Any self-respecting Zora healer knows a lightning strike when they see one…_ Mipha thought as she pored over Revali's prone form. ,em>But… there wasn't a cloud in the sky when we went out. Which means…

"Ugh…"

A sudden bout of coughing brought Mipha from her thoughts, and she looked down at the now-conscious Rito. "I am glad to see you are awake, Master Revali," Mipha said calmly, trying to look the disoriented archer in the eye to identify a possible concussion. Revali was shaking his head and blinking rapidly, obviously disoriented from his unconsciousness. "Do you feel at all disoriented, or—?"

"I'm going to kill her."

Mipha gasped as Revali tried to leap up from his bed, just barely able to keep him pinned down with all her weight. The Rito thrashed violently below her, as though his only goal in life was to rise from his bed and kill "her", whoever that was. The murderous gleam that lit Revali's emerald eyes was more than enough proof of that theory, and at one point he managed to throw one of Mipha's arms off of his chest and get himself up a few inches before being forced back down.

"Let me up, Mipha!" he shouted, thrashing violently now and drawing the attention of other nurses and patients. "I've got to find that insidious Gerudo and slit her throat!" After a few seconds more of struggling with the Rito, Mipha turned her head towards the door and prayed to Din that someone would be listening.

"Guards!" she shouted frantically, pausing with a grunt to readjust her grip on Revali's left forearm. "Help me pin him, please!" Thankfully, a pair of soldiers had been patrolling nearby and heard the Zora's impassioned plead for help. Dropping their weapons in a hurry, the pair added their weight to the pile, forcing the struggling Rito onto his back.

"Oh, _now_ you do something!" snapped Revali at the guards as he struggled to free himself. "But when that Gerudo miscreant was busy frying my brains, where were you? Huh?" Mipha, ignoring Revali for the moment, struggled to move her hands towards a secure grip on the Rito's head as the assisting guards each put their full weight on a shoulder. The foursome struggled for another minute before Mipha suddenly came up with a possible solution.

"Keep his arms pinned," she said, frantically moving her hands down from Revali's head and towards his slightly singed chest area. If her hunch was right… "I need to get a clear line of sight at one of his injuries!" Mipha separated some of Revali's chest feathers to better get a look at his skin, searching for any blemishes. It wasn't long before she set her eyes on a rather malicious-looking bruise on his upper abdomen, and the Zora healer immediately dug her webbed fingers into the sensitive flesh, drawing a wince from the struggling Rito beneath her. Closing her eyes and concentrating, Mipha felt the familiar rush of warmth that accompanied the use of her healing powers. Comforting energy built up in her core and spread outwards across the Zora's body, and she focused its strength to her hands. Benevolent energy slowly poured from Mipha to Revali, and as time went on she felt the Rito's struggling beneath her weakening. Her powers methodically spread from injury to injury, cleaning Revali's body from the inside out as Revali's rage continued to progressively diminish.

By the time Mipha had finished the healing process, Revali had already fallen unconscious, head lolled back and eyes unfocused. The Zoran Princess and the two guards tentatively backed off, releasing the prone Rito's arms and Mipha crawling off his chest to stand beside his bed yet again. Each of the three persons stared at Revali, watching him to ensure that he truly was done struggling. After another few moments of reassuring silence, Mipha turned to the guards and smiled at them gratefully. At the same time, she noticed a slight flicker in her peripheral vision.

"Thank you for your assistance," she said quietly, linking her arms in front of her and giving a short bow of gratitude. "You may go. I think I will stay a while longer to check over my work, to ensure that nothing went wrong." The pair of soldiers nodded, and the one on her left grinned a bit.

"Of course, Lady Mipha," he said in a somewhat eager voice. "It has been an honor working with you. I await our next meeting." _An honor working with me?_ she thought curiously with a raised eyebrow. _Rather strange response, is it not? All we did was hold Revali down, after all. Not quite sure what made this ordeal all that enjoyable..._ Before Mipha could think of a suitable response, the other knight elbowed the one who'd spoken in the ribs, coaxing a yelp of pain from him.

"I apologize, Lady Mipha," said the other knight, glaring at his companion that had spoken first. "My comrade forgets his place at times. We shall take our leave." Without leaving any room for argument, the affirmative knight grabbed his companion's arm and dragged him off without another word. Mipha stared after them for a moment before clearing her head of the awkward situation. _I don't quite understand what all that was,_ thought the Zora as she turned to look at Revali's unconscious form. _What did that knight mean, forgetting his place…?_

Mipha would have continued pondering this minor predicament for a good while longer had something strange not caught her eye. _Wait a moment,_ she thought, narrowing her eyes and leaning in to closer stare at Revali's face, which currently looked very peaceful with his closed eyes. _Weren't his eyes open earlier? And some of his ruffled feathers have been smoothed over as well…_ While Mipha's healing magic was certainly strong, it did nothing to help cosmetic issues with her patients' bodies; as such, Revali's feathers should have been no less ruffled than they were twenty seconds ago.

Rolling her large amber eyes, Mipha pretended to fuss over some minor parts of Revali's clothing before remarking to herself aloud. "I suppose all he needs is rest now," she said in a not entirely convincing attempt at casual speech. "I wonder where Link is? I would much like to see him again…" The Zora Princess then made a show of walking out of Revali's infirmary room, making certain to increase the loudness of her footsteps as she did so, practically stomping her stubby legs on the stone floors. Once out of the room, Mipha took one step to the side and pressed her back against the wall right next to the door, counting up to five in her head. At five, Mipha spun back around and re-materialized in the doorway, looking into the room…

Revali was already standing and had been halfway to the door that the Zora girl currently occupied. A flash of guilty panic erupted across the Rito's face, and it was so preciously hilarious that Mipha had to bite her tongue to prevent herself from laughing aloud. Revali coughed nervously, wringing his wings together anxiously, an action which did nothing to help the struggling Zora contain her amusement.

"I, erm…" Another avian cough, accompanied by the widening of a Zoran grin. "I am… feeling exceptionally better?" Mipha crossed her arms over her chest, leaning against the stone frame of the door and smiling innocently.

"I am certainly glad about that," she said, having to struggle a great deal to keep the humor form her voice. _How does Urbosa manage to keep a straight face all the time?_ "Where are you going now?" Revali gulped, and tried for a charismatic grin. If she hadn't already known the Rito archer, it might have worked; but alas, Mipha _did_ know Revali, and they both knew she had him backed into a figurative and literal corner.

"I was… going to express my honest opinion to Urbosa," Revali said slowly, obviously trying to phrase the sentence in as neutral a manner as he could. "In regards to the training session we had earlier."

"Does this honest opinion involve bodily harm?"

"… maybe."

"I thought so," Mipha said with a sigh, pushing off the frame gently to stand on her own weight. "Please sit back down, Master Revali. I need to finish examining you." Revali scoffed and walked forward, making to brush past Mipha. The young Zora narrowed her eyes at the Rito's failure to acquiesce to her request.

"With all due respect, Mipha, I'm going to leave so I can…"

Revali's voice faded as he stared cross-eyed at the ornate trident that was pointed at his throat.

"With all due respect, _Revali,"_ Mipha said with a sweet smile as she held her trident true, "I am going to impale you if you do not sit back down immediately."

Needless to say, any and all argument from the Rito ended there.

/-\\-/-\\-/-\/-\

"I'm going to be frank with you, Mipha. I didn't know you had it in you."

Mipha glanced up from her work on Revali's left forearm. Now that the Rito had finally agreed to be somewhat sensible, at least for the time being, Mipha had begun a close-up examination of his injuries. due to the stressful and panicked nature that had surrounded the healing she'd performed, it was a guarantee that she'd missed some minor injuries. The Zoran healer had just begun working on an injury when Revali had spoken up.

"You did not know I had what in me…?" she asked absent mindedly, trying to involve herself in her work to get the Rito out the door as quickly as possible. He was exuding an anxious energy that was very unsettling to her, and as an empathetic healer that was the _last_ thing she needed.

"The ability to be forceful," Revali said with a small chuckle. "To actually put up a fight beyond trying to talk someone out of something. Commendable effort, even if it is just a small step towards actually having a spine." Mipha sighed through her nose, amazed at how every compliment the Rito dispensed had to be back-handed. Was it really so difficult to simply admire someone _without_ simultaneously bringing them down and be done with the whole ordeal?

"Regardless," Mipha said tersely as she moved up Revali's arm in her examination. "It seems I possessed enough of a spine to dispatch _you,_ did I not?" The Zora Princess couldn't help the smile that crept onto her face at seeing a flustered Revali trying to deal with his own words thrown right back into his face.

"Well, I suppose—I mean…" Revali grumbled under his breath, obviously not content at being one-upped by Mipha. "Goddesses, you're almost as bad as Urbosa."

_Aha._ Mipha was glad that the Rito archer seemed to have a need to bemoan all the wrongs done to him by Urbosa every five minutes, if only because it helped steer the conversation towards a direction she was rather interested in pursuing.

"Why exactly do you despise Urbosa so?" Mipha asked quietly, forcing the interest out of her voice. She had an instinct that told her that Revali would close up like a clam if he suspected that she was at all trying to pry information from him. Best just to let him believe that it was an innocent question…

"Oh, now _you're_ going to get all over me about that Voltfruit cactus," Revali said with a dramatically exasperated huff. "Why is everyone so interested in my business?" Mipha bit the inside of her cheek, displeased that her super-secret stealth probing had ended up being as subtle as a Bomb Arrow. She kept her displeasure at being discovered hidden as she continued her examination up Revali's wing and to his shoulder blade.

"I suppose I am simply concerned for the both of you," Mipha said quietly as she found a discolored bruise on Revali's shoulder, mending with a succinct touch. "Insofar, your contempt for each other has escalated to the point where you have been incapacitated by a lightning bolt. I would say it is rather difficult for people to not notice something of _that_ magnitude." Revali huffed and turned away as Mipha moved her examination t Revali's neck.

"That certainly isn't _my_ fault," Revali scoffed, a scowl slashing across his beak. "She's the one who can summon lightning at the snap of her fingers. She was just scared that she'd lose out spar." Mipha paused in her work, leaning back to look Revali dead in the eyes, searching for anything that she could use to talk some sense into the bird. The Rito's eyes were those of a _last-man-standing,_ as though the world had leveled its weapons at him and advanced from all sides at once.

_In way, that's true,_ Mipha realized. _The world does seem to put him down because of his less-than-amicable personality… and it's eating him apart from the inside out._

"Make Urbosa your ally."

Revali's brows knit together as Mipha spoke, and even the Zora herself was slightly taken aback by the suggestion that had slipped from her lips. _Not exactly what I had in mind for a conciliatory suggestion, but I suppose I can work with that…_

"My ally?" parroted the Rito in confusion. Mipha found a small enjoyment at seeing rare, albeit pure, curiosity on the archer's face; no annoyance, no suspicion, just a simple curiosity. _It means I have his full attention if he is not devoting any energy to being annoyed._

"Yes," Mipha said, trying to scrape up some justification for her previous statement. "Because, um… would it not be better for you if she agreed with you and your ideas instead of always arguing and challenging you?" Revali went silent for a moment, pondering Mipha's alternate reality, and the barest trace of a smile formed on his beak.

"I suppose it would help, despite how hard it is to imagine a complacent Urbosa," Revali said with the rumble of a chuckle in his voice. "Yet how exactly am I supposed to accomplish this? I do not imagine that conversation with her would be in any way pleasant." Mipha smiled in spite of herself, tilting her head to the side a bit as she met Revali's eyes.

"That is because you are both too headstrong for your own good," Mipha stated. "Both of you need to learn to compromise and not be stubborn Hinoxes."

_"I'm_ too headstrong?" asked the archer with obvious disbelief lacing his voice. "Please, my dear Mipha, give me an example of this."

"You were going to express your 'honest opinion' through bodily harm."

"Nothing but speculation."

"Mhm. Is that why you screamed 'I've got to find that insidious Gerudo and slit her throat'?"

"I could have been talking about _any_ Gerudo."

Mipha smiled, very pleased with how the conversation was developing. Despite the numerous "accusations" she had been making of the Rito archer, he had decided to maintain his civility and respond as such. Now, was he still in denial? Of course he was, but that frankly wasn't Mipha's primary concern. Someone in denial could be reasoned with; an angered and indignant person held much less potential for such open-mindedness.

"If you would humor me for a moment, Master Revali," said the Zoran healer, using Revali's "title" as a form of subtle appeasement. "I would like to teach you a skill that I believe will aid you in… _dealing_ with Lady Urbosa." Revali chuckled, shaking his head and glancing at her amusedly.

"Calling me 'Master Revali' will get you nowhere with me, my dear," Revali said with a grin, and Mipha at least had the decency to blush in guilty embarrassment. _I must find a way to improve my ability to be innocuous._ "Regardless, I am rather curious as to what wisdom you are willing to impart on me… fire away." He could not have surprised Mipha more if he'd tried. Despite catching her red-finned in her attempts to feed his ego for her own purposes, he was still acting civil and willing to humor her. _I just may be breaking through to him,_ thought the Zora, just as open-mouthed as the creatures her species had evolved from. _Incredible._

"I, um…" Mipha blinked a few times to will the shock away and regain her composure. "I would like to teach you how to express your honest opinion. Without violence."

Revali's only response was to groan in exasperation and fall back onto the infirmary bed. Mipha closed her eyes and sighed quietly. _Alright, perhaps he's not quite as open-minded as I had presumed,_ thought the Zora as she looked down at the splayed-out Rito. _This is going to take a while._

/-\\-/-\\-/-\\-/-\

"Well… _that_ didn't go too great, did it?"

Link was inclined to agree with Daruk's statement as he, the Goron who'd spoken, and Zelda stood in the Princess' study. After he and Mipha had arrived onto the chaotic scene at the soldier's training grounds, Mipha had been stolen away towards the infirmary along with an injured Revali. After they'd left in a flurry of panicked guards and medics, Link had learned from Daruk and Zelda that Urbosa had gone overboard during a melee spar with Revali and shocked him with a bolt of furious lightning. Daruk had tried to draw a further explanation from Urbosa, but the Gerudo had already stormed off in the direction of the castle while he'd been explaining the situation to Link. Zelda, who had been rather angered by the incident, then ordered the two remaining Champions to follow her back to her study.

"'Not great' is quite an understatement, Daruk," said Zelda tersely as she milled around her study, pulling books from shelves before angrily shoving them back in their places. The Hylian Princess' lack of care for her books surprised Link greatly; something must have truly been off with her if she wasn't taking care of her materials. "That training session, in my scientific opinion, was an absolutely horrific and irrevocable _disaster."_ Link held his tongue, not really knowing how to respond to such a statement, but Daruk clearly didn't have such reservations.

"I agree that it could've gone better," Daruk said, scratching at his chest absentmindedly, "and yeah, Revali getting' hurt probably wasn't the best thing to ever happen. But we'll get better. You know we will, right?" Link admired the Goron's optimism, but that small reassurance was short lived as Zelda failed to respond, her tense energy casting an uneasy silence over all occupants of the study. Daruk rumbled, concerned over Zelda's well-being.

"You doin' alright there, Princ—?"

"IT'S _YOUR_ FAULT!"

Link's eyes widened as Zelda suddenly whirled around and stomped over to him, shoving an accusatory finger in his face. The unbridled anger the sparked the Princess' eyes was so uncharacteristic of the otherwise docile girl that Link was rendered immobile.

"This happened because of you!" Zelda reiterated, clenching her fists angrily and stomping her foot on the ground. "If you and Mipha hadn't been gallivanting around the castle like a pair of lovesick schoolchildren, then I would not have had to put Urbosa and Revali together and they wouldn't have gone off at each other and Father wouldn't be so angry at me and—!"

"Princess!" Link's vision turned reddish-brown as Daruk stepped between the Hylian royal and her knight. "What're ya getting' mad at the little guy for? None of that was his fault! I know you're smarter 'n that!" Link took a step around Daruk to get a better view of Zelda, who was still fuming, a wet sheen coming to her intelligent eyes. Despite the fact that she was angry at him, Link could feel nothing but pity for his Princess. She was a broken, overworked girl who had given everything to life and received nothing back for all her effort, tragedy, and turmoil. He knew Daruk would never stand for infighting given his protective nature, but Link _also_ knew what Zelda was going through firsthand; the girl had reached a breaking point, and the only way it would pass was if she was allowed to vent.

"Do not tell me this is not his fault!" Zelda shouted at Daruk, cold rage and hot despair bringing her voice to the point of breaking just as violently as her emotions were. "The world _loves_ him! He has the Master Sword, he knows how to access his Triforce, and he already has the love of his life by his side on the threshold of adulthood! I have _none_ of that, if not even less than him!" Daruk's eyes narrowed stubbornly, not accepting Zelda impassioned but flawed logic. Link moved to make reason between the two of them, but Daruk's protective instincts apparently would not let him see the damage that was being done to Zelda through his probing.

"Now you know that isn't true, little Princess," said the Goron, steel coating his voice. "Link here's suffered just as much bad stuff as you have."

"How would _you_ know that?" Zelda asked accusingly, sniffling a bit. Despite the fact that she was discrediting _him,_ Link felt obliged to agree. Neither Daruk nor Zelda had any insight into his life to know if he had struggled similarly, even if it was true regardless. "How would _any_ of us know that? He does not even talk, and yet somehow the universe sees fit to bestow upon him all he desires regardless of those who have legitimately paid blood, sweat, and tears to—!"

"I… talk."

The quiet words from Link shocked Zelda into silence, her heavy emotional breaths now the source of sound in her study. The surprise had even affected Daruk; he was staring at the Hylian knight with his mouth agape. As much as the Hylian knight preferred to keep his thoughts to himself, he realized that Zelda needed some form of reassurance in that moment, even if it was unwarranted. Zelda was lashing out at the world with a lifetime of pent-up anger, regret, and hatred. Trying to make her see reason would only confirm what she'd been telling herself since she was younger; that the world would never extend a helping hand, even when she was pushed to the point of utter despair. Link realized that he needed to be that helping hand, or they risked losing the girl to a never-ending spiral of misery that none ever recovered from.

The blessed Princess of Hyrule just needed a friend's shoulder to cry on, and so far, the world had denied her even that. Link sought to change that.

"You… you can…" Tears still burned in the Princess' eyes and voice, but shock was the predominant emotion now instead of sorrow. "But…"

"I normally stay… quiet," Link admitted, still slightly nervous about speaking in front of Zelda as he stepped closer to her. "But… I only talk around… people I trust." Link stared Zelda dead in the eye, hoping to all the Goddesses that she understood the implications of his statement. He was extending a hand; it was up to her to grab it now…

"I… you… trust…?" Zelda's confusion was short lived as understand brought forth a new wave of powerful emotion, unleashing the searing tears that she had just barely been able to contain during her tirade. The pent-up anger-consumed sadness poured from Zelda's fractured soul, and the girl practically collapsed into Link's arms, holding her head and sobbing softly, not even caring that two of her Champions were watching her doing so.

Link looked to Daruk, watching as deep-set concern eclipsed the annoyed determination that had once been scrawled on his face. The Goron made to step forward to console the Princess as well, but Link gave him a hard stare and shook his head. Confusion replaced the concern as Daruk stopped in place and looked back down at Link.

"But—."

"No."

The quiet words hung between them against the uncomfortable backdrop of Zelda's quivering sobs. A silent battle of wills commenced between the knowing Hylian and the protective Goron. _I know you just want to help,_ Link thought firmly, still supporting Zelda in his arms. _But she won't get better by being corrected. She just needs time._

"No," Link said again, shaking his head slowly to further make his point. Daruk frowned, turning to cast a glance at Zelda, who had gone silent and was quivering now, clutching her hands to her chest and heaving deep breaths that dripped with sorrow as her head was buried in Link's chest. With a sigh, the Goron turned back to Link and nodded, making his way out of Zelda's study and letting the wood door close behind him somberly.

Link sighed, allowing his arms to wrap around the broken royal in his arms to console her. It wasn't an act of passion or affection, and it was safe to assume that both Hylians knew that. Link was being a friend to her, and Zelda was simply happy that someone seemed to care enough to be one for her.

_I never thought we'd have that in common,_ Link mused as he held Zelda, feeling her tears soak into his tunic. _I guess the Triforce isn't as much a blessing as one would think._

Somehow, that idea didn't bode well at all for their chances against Calamity Ganon.

/-\\-/-\\-/-\\-/-\

"I understand that you think I am an unpleasant egotist, but if we want to get along then you need to stop being so volatile and get past your idiotic prejudices about me."

"Revali, no."

The Rito archer in question grumbled, crossing his wings over his chest indignantly as Mipha rubbed at her temples in exhaustion. Insofar, she'd had much trouble attempting to adjust the Rito to civil conversation with Urbosa. Even when only talking to a facsimile the Gerudo swordswoman, he still struggled with finding amicable words.

"I don't see where the issue is," Revali said with a nonchalant shrug. "I thought that was rather civil."

"Telling her to stop being volatile is most likely not the best way to go about this."

Revali scoffed and shook his head, turning his side to the equally exasperated Zora Princess. "I don't even know why I thought you would be of help. I'm wasting my time here." The Rito archer moved to walk past Mipha, but she put herself in front of him, blocking his way with her body despite the height advantage he held over her. Her efforts at containing him were met with an avian scowl.

"Move, Mipha," he said tersely. She responded with a firm shake of her head.

"No," said the Zora Princess firmly, crossing her arms over her modest chest. "You need to listen to me, Revali. This is important."

"I have no obligation to listen to you," retorted the archer harshly, "or to care about what you think is _important."_ Mipha did not allow his brusque dismissal of her to discourage her, and instead pressed on.

"That is _exactly_ my point, Revali," Mipha said, jumping on the tail end of his words and hoping to her Zoran ancestors that she could make a convincing argument out of it. "You do not owe anything to me, and I do not owe anything to you. Yet, despite that, I am making an effort to relieve some of the burden that your struggle with Urbosa has brought you. What do you think that says about _me?"_ Revali glowered down at the shorter Champion, taking a step back reluctantly and giving a pensive _hmph._

"It says you're driven by sentiment," he grumbled finally, turning his beak up at her. "It also shows you're desperate to get something from me."

"Wrong," Mipha rebutted immediately, not hesitating to rip the Rito Champion a new one. "It shows that I am a compassionate person who cares for the wellbeing of my fellow Champions." Revali scoffed and made to argue, but the Zora was done letting him get a word in. It was time for him to see firsthand how it felt when someone completely ignored what you had to say. "Do not mistake my empathy for a weakness, Master Revali. While you may not see very much worth in performing kind acts with no personal gain, the rest of the world sees it quite differently. I am appreciated for my services; I am tolerated because I stand to tolerate others, even when I would rather impale them with my trident."

"That has no bearing on my situation!" snapped the Rito, emerald eyes aglow with annoyance, but Mipha wasn't quite done with him just yet.

"It _does,_ Revali, of course it does!" Mipha protested adamantly, reaching up and placing a webbed hand on the taller Champion's shoulder. "Urbosa will never come around and care about _you_ if you do not make an effort to care about her. Go out of your way to—."

"I care about her!" Revali snapped testily, the words obviously leaving his mouth unintentionally. Mipha's eyes widened in surprise at Revali's rather passionate statement, but the Rito quickly realized what he'd implied and fumbled for a correction. "Not in any meaningful way, though! That is to say, erm…" As Revali struggled to rebuild his composure, the truth hit Mipha as thought she'd been struck by Urbosa's Fury. It was obvious that Revali did not know it himself, and he'd be in dead-set denial even if he _did…_ but Mipha knew what misspeaking and getting flustered meant better than anyone.

_This is much worse than I could have ever imagined,_ Mipha thought in a shocked daze. _No wonder he's so abrasive to Urbosa…_

"Oh Nayru…" she said in quiet awe, amber eyes wide as palm fruits. "You cannot possibly…"

_"Don't!"_ snapped Revali angrily, his voice reverberating harshly off the confining stone walls of the infirmary. "That's not—I did not imply that. At all. What I meant was, why must I inconvenience myself for _her_ sake, just to prove something? Whatever that something may be." Mipha sent silent for a good while, pursing her lips and narrowing her warm gaze into a scrutinizing stare. She was seriously considering calling Revali's bluff just to see his response. _That look of desperation on his face isn't doing him any favors, either. Still…_ Mipha knew firsthand what prying into someone's uncertain emotions would do to them. Obviously Revali needed to get his head on straight, and Mipha wasn't about to make that more difficult for him. _I am_ definitely _going to talk with him about this later, though…_

"Calm down for a moment and I will tell you," Mipha said with a resigned sigh, pushing away her nagging curiosity for the greater good. 

Although Revali made a big show of huffing and scoffing, Mipha could see the relief etched on his face. "Fine," grumbled the Rito Champion eventually, wings crossed and head tilted expectantly. "Tell me. Please." Mipha nodded and moved to sit on the infirmary bed, pleasantly surprised at the use of pleasantries. Revali settled in beside her at a respectful distance, occasionally glancing over at her. 

"Consider this," Mipha said slowly, trying to figure out the best way to phrase her suggestion in as neutral a manner as was verbally possible. "If you will never do anything for Urbosa until she does so for you, and if the opposite is true of her, then you are both at a stalemate. Nothing will ever get accomplished between you two, and you will both be doomed to perpetual arguments." Revali frowned and uncrossed his wings, giving a little sigh as he considered her words. It wasn't long before he started shaking his head. 

"I cannot be the first to do something for her," Revali said, not looking at the attentive Zora Princess that sat beside him. "It would make me appear weak. Sentimental. Desperate to have her—that is, to have her as an ally of mine." Overlooking the Rito's minor slip-up Mipha glanced over at her fellow Champion with understanding in her eyes but determination in her expression. 

"Perhaps," she relented, "but there is the possibility that it might be seen as a strength instead of a weakness." 

"And how exactly is that?" 

"You will have the courage to make the first move, that is how. You will be the more mature of the two of you, willing to put a petty squabble aside for the sake of cooperation." Revali nodded in understanding, but still grumbled at Mipha's "petty" remark. 

"Our squabbles are not _that_ petty…" 

"What about slitting an insidious Gerudo's throat?" Revali sighed at Mipha's ready retort, and when he looked over at her, there was a grudging approval in his emerald eyes. The Zora girl had to hold back a widening grin at the sweet expression. 

"You'll never let me get over that, will you?" 

"Not a chance." 

The pair of Champions chuckled to themselves, reveling in the realization that they were perfectly capable of upholding normal conversation with each other. As their mirth faded over time, Revali cast a (somewhat fond?) glance over at Mipha as she stood, ready to leave. 

"You know…" Revali looked like he wanted to say something, but didn't quite know how to enunciate it. There was a strange anticipation, if it could be called that, in Revali's expression, as though he himself were curious to see what he would say. It was such an earnest and pure emotion that Mipha could not help but marvel at the fact that she had been the primary cause of such a dramatic change in Revali's demeanor. "I suppose I would like to… _thank_ you for—." 

"Don't tell me I've just borne witness to an actual moment of gratitude from the mighty Revali." 

The deeper, teasing voice that came from the doorway disrupted the satisfied energy that had befallen the Rito and Zora Champions as they both whipped their heads to the entrance to find none other than Urbosa leaning up against the doorframe. Panic gripped Mipha's empathetic heart as she saw Revali's otherwise at-ease expression revert to the usual discontented annoyance that comprised the Rito's existence. 

_No, no, no!_ Mipha thought as her gaze flickered between Urbosa and Revali. _Not now! I was just making progress with him!_ Unfortunately for Mipha's hard-spent sanity and effort that had been consumed in the previous few moments, it seemed that Urbosa was unwittingly prepared to undo all of the goodness that Mipha had unearthed. 

"What are _you_ doing here?" The unmarred vitriol in Revali's voice took Mipha by surprise, and she was equally surprised to find herself genuinely feeling sorrow for the Rito's predicament. He really was so quick to act as though everyone was against him… 

"I came to see how my rotisserie Cucco is doing, that's why." 

_… and he may not be entirely wrong in believing that._

"Leave, Urbosa," grumbled Revali, turning away from the bane of his existence to reach for his Great Eagle Bow, which had been propped up against his infirmary bed. "I do _not_ want to deal with this now. If you want a verbal punching bag, I'm sure Mipha would more than suffice." Knowing that Revali was truly doing his best to diffuse the situation, Mipha took no offence to the comment. It was a defense mechanism, desperately executed in the hopes that Urbosa would leave him be. Oddly enough (or perhaps not…), Urbosa took more offence at Revali's words than Mipha herself did. 

"That was uncalled for," Urbosa said, crossing her desert-soaked arms over her armored breast. Revali's response to this was his ever-familiar scoff as he began working to re-string his bow. 

"What does the appropriate timing for a comment matter to you?" he asked with a bitter acid eating away at his voice. "After all, _you_ were the one who decided to come torment a colleague who was injured by your own hand." 

Mipha felt herself being compressed from the unbearable tension that now propagated throughout the room. _I have to stop this, how can I stop this, please, I cannot let something terrible happen again!_ The last time the two of them went at each other, Mipha hadn't been there to mitigate the damage, if only because she'd wanted to spend time with Link. _I cannot let disaster strike, not again…_

"I never took you to be the type to make excuses, Revali," Urbosa said, moving a step away from the doorframe she'd been leaning against. 

"You insult me for no reason," Revali said, taking an indignant stand and moving a step in Urbosa's direction. "Why must my response be labeled as an excuse?" 

_What can I do, what can I do, what can I do…?_

"Your answers are doomed to be excuses because you lack conviction, my Cucco friend." A step closer. 

"I don't believe that I am the one who lacks conviction, not with you towering over me on that high horse of yours!" A step closer as well. 

_Please stop, please please stop it before this escalates…_

"Why Revali, you should know I don't ride horses; only the finest sand seals, of course." Despite the false nonchalance, another step was taken. 

"Must everything be a joke with you? Can you not see the severity of your actions? You hospitalized me!" Anger met the poorly-timed humor, resulting in another step forward. 

_Stop it, stop it, stop it_ "STOP IT!" 

Urbosa and Revali both glanced down at Mipha in surprise, obviously having forgotten that the younger Champion even existed. If she were being honest, Mipha was surprising herself just as much as she was her fellow Champions. Threatening Revali at spearpoint was a departure enough from her usually shy and reserved character; shouting at two adults who were masters of combat was most certainly an unexpected escalation on that. If there was one thing Mipha hated more than being the center of attention, it was unnecessary conflict. Combat was something different, and for that she had her trident, but a petty quarrel the likes of that shared by Revali and Urbosa? Not a chance in Hyrule that she would stand for it. The Zoran healer let her anger and frustration flow through her and guide her absconding of the two Champions. 

"I have had enough of both of you being unable to see past your monumentally swelled pride!" Mipha said shortly, glaring at both her comrades intermittently. "When will this spectacle finally end? When will the two of you _finally_ have enough sense to realize that you harm yourselves just as much as you do the other?" 

_"Mipha dear," Urbosa interrupted with a small glance at Revali, "I am quite certain that Revali is so thick headed as to never—."_

"There!" Mipha exclaimed, pointing at Urbosa as though she'd been the inspiration for Hyrule's greatest scientific discovery. "That is _exactly_ the sort of thing I speak of! Why do you have the compulsion to take any possible opportunity to put Master Revali down?" Urbosa was lulled into a pensive silence, as though the predicament Mipha had just described was one she'd never bothered pondering before. _I am not certain which is worse,_ Mipha thought. _Urbosa not knowing there was an issue with her teasing in the first place, or her knowing and simply not paying it any mind._

"Exactly," spat Revali, crossing his wings and looking down his beak smugly at Urbosa as she pondered. "Does it make sense to you now how horrid a person you—." 

"And _you,_ Revali," Mipha interrupted, not about to let the Rito archer off easy either. "You are an entirely different problem." 

"Me?" sputtered the Rito indignantly, rage mixing with confusion. _"Urbosa_ is the one instigating all this nonsense!" 

"And you are _promoting_ it," Mipha insisted sternly. "Whenever she has a comment for you, derogatory or otherwise, you always seem to deem it necessary to try do one better than her. How can engaging in the same childishness as Urbosa _possibly_ demonstrate your superiority?" 

Silence overtook the three Champions, Mipha's modest chest heaving as she felt herself calm down from the twin outbursts she'd had, Urbosa in quiet musing, and Revali in annoyed fuming. A wave of exhaustion swept over Mipha suddenly, making her legs feel weak and unsteady. _Goodness, how can they both stand to be angry so much of the time?_ she wondered incredulously. _I was only irked for no more than two minutes and already I feel overwhelmed…_

"Very well," Urbosa said eventually, drawing the attention of the other two Champions. The Gerudo swordswoman glanced down at Mipha neutrally, with no humor or amusement in her face, pleasantly surprising the young Zoran royal. "What would you have us do, Mipha?" 

"What?" The suddenly tired Mipha found herself unable to immediately process Urbosa's question. "You want… _me_ to…?" Urbosa smiled down at the younger Champion in a motherly manner, but Revali was the first to answer. 

"She wants you to tell us how to fix this," said the Rito shortly, not taking his wary eyes off of Urbosa. "Obviously, we're both too predisposed to acting like infants around each other, so she's asking you to give us advice. As it were." Mipha could not help the wide smile that came to her face, a smile that reached all the way up to her bright amber eyes. Even if it was because they were at a stalemate with each other, she was glad that both Urbosa and Revali trusted her to lead them correctly. 

"Lady Urbosa," Mipha said after taking a moment to compose herself. "I need you to apologize to Master Revali. _Without_ any innuendos, or teasing, or poking fun. An earnest apology for your conduct." A displeased scowl slashed Urbosa's face, and a triumphant smirk crossed Revali's, but Mipha wasn't quite through giving orders yet. 

"Master Revali," Mipha continued, drawing both Champions' attentions to her once again. "When Urbosa _does_ apologize, you must accept it with no superiority, and no triumphant chuckles or smirks." Revali's grin faded as a tiny one reclaimed some of Urbosa's face. "Do you both understand?" 

"Of course, Mipha," said the Gerudo Champion, warm pride for Mipha's assertiveness seeping into her voice. Both women then turned to face Revali, who had yet to give his assent. His emerald eyes flickered between the two glowering females before closing them with a resigned sigh. 

"… fine." The two bickering Champions straightened formally, as though they felt compelled by some unseen force, and Urbosa began her attempt at extending the olive branch of diplomacy that had been forced into her hand by Mipha. 

"Revali," Urbosa began, taking a breath while she gathered the words she wanted to make her point. "Even though you—no, wait. I wanted to apologize for handing you your a—ugh, this is harder than I thought it would be…" A quiet scoff could be heard from Revali, but Mipha didn't reprimand the Rito because she knew he was going to struggle just as much as Urbosa was, if not more. The Gerudo in question took I another deep breath, released it in a quick huff, and forced herself to continue speaking. "I am… sorry… that I shocked you with my lightning. I was… that is, I—Goddesses, this is hard. I… I overreacted. Sorry." Mipha smiled, happy that Urbosa had managed to correct herself when need be. It, at the very least, meant that she knew _how_ to be civil with Revali; the real challenge would now be getting her to attempt that more often. _Now to see how Revali manages with putting aside his pride…_

"I accept your apology, Urbosa," said Revali smoothly, catching both his fellow Champions off guard with the ease with which he spoke. "As a show of… good faith, I would like to resume practicing swordplay with you." Mipha had to struggle to keep her mouth from hanging open. _He did not struggle at all with being gracious, not at all like Urbosa,_ she thought in fascination. _Sweet Nayru, we've been wrong about him the entire time…_

The Rito then diverted his attention over to Mipha, and an odd look of understanding crossed his face. "Thank you for…" Something stopped the archer from saying what he wanted to say, and that something became obvious when Revali glanced over at Urbosa for a split second. "Just… thank you." With that, Revali brushed past the two other Champions and left the room, making sure to grab his bow on the way out, and leaving Urbosa and Mipha open-mouthed in shock. Urbosa remined there because of her surprise, while Mipha reveled in the monumental realization she'd made. 

_Revali treats others the way they treat him,_ Mipha finally understood. _It is not a defense mechanism; it never has been. He lives life through cause and effect because that is how he can succeed. Perform well, advance in the world, and no time for worrying about pesky emotions…_

_Revali has nothing to give because no one has ever given him anything to begin with._

Mipha decided then and there she would make it her mission to give Revali all that she could. After all, it was the least she could do for a friend. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We learn that Zelda and Revali aren't completely at fault for how they act. Turns out always being told that you need to be better all the time is actually pretty detrimental to you… and in Revali's case, Urbosa's relentless prodding isn't much help either.
> 
> Mipha, I've decided, is the emotional counterpart to Daruk's physical protector role. Daruk will get in your face and stop you from smacking someone upside the head, but Mipha will try to work her way around the problem if she sees something off with you emotionally, and will only resort to a one-on-one confrontation if absolutely necessary. I see myself in Mipha so much, honestly. It was a struggle this chapter to keep her in character, because I needed to find the right balance between assertive, gracious, and shy.
> 
> Feedback is appreciated, as always, and I hope you enjoyed!


	9. I'm Trying to Bare My Soul to You, Idiot

Urbosa couldn't do much more than stare after the door Revali had just exited with her mouth slightly agape.

Firstly, as an accomplished warrior who prided herself on her ability to address any combat situation calmly and effectively, Urbosa was downright humiliated by her involuntary lightning strike. Revali was not only inexperienced in swordplay and lackadaisical in his fighting style, but he had also just lost his weapon. Try as she might, Urbosa could not find _one single excuse_ for herself about why she'd let her powers loose.

Perhaps even more humiliatingly, if the aftermath of her electrical misfire was anything to go by, the time had come to start finding the reasons for why everything seemed to dissolve into utter chaos when she and Revali so much as shared twenty feet of space with each other. _I'm making a fool of myself, and I've done nothing but make it worse._

Urbosa's presence typically commanded respect from everyone in the room, even among those who hadn't been acquainted with her yet. She prided herself on having a certain gravitas, a looming sort of energy that exudes an aura of great power. Revali, perhaps unsurprisingly, didn't get the subconscious memo every time she walked into a room with him, and that fascinated her.

Despite what Urbosa kept telling herself, she suffered from a rather significant case of overconfidence that bordered on arrogance. Revali presented himself as a challenge to any and all that dared to so much as look his way, and Urbosa's Gerudo spirit compelled her to meet the unspoken challenge every time without fail.

Contrary to the manner in which she acted when she entered the infirmary, Urbosa had initially gone in to give her formal apology; a genuine one that would have come naturally to her without needing a prompt from Mipha. Unfortunately, the second she'd stepped into the room had been the exact moment Revali had let down some of his defenses to thank Mipha, and Urbosa's troubled competitive nature simply couldn't resist.

Urbosa frowned to herself, so absorbed in her thoughts that she hardly noticed Mipha's own departure from the infirmary room, leaving the Gerudo warrior alone with her inner turmoil. The more she thought about it, the more the Gerudo realized that she was doing a terrible wrong by continuing to berate Revali over every aspect of his life. The Rito himself reacted poorly, but that had been expected; no one would be surprised by that, she wagered, and thus there was nothing truly _wrong_ with what she was doing because no one else saw fit to stop her antics. Mipha finally deciding to take up verbal arms against Urbosa had been a quite sudden and _very_ rude awakening to her.

The now disillusioned swordswoman couldn't help but remember something Revali had told her during their little spat on the way to their Dinsday dinner in the Sanctum; _a terrible person doesn't deserve to be a Champion. I cannot be a terrible person._

She couldn't help but tell herself just that. _I berate another person simply because I find it amusing. What could possibly make me a worse person than manipulating another's emotional stability for sport?_ Urbosa ground her teeth in irritation, reaching up with a hand to rub at her temples. _I shouldn't be pitying myself. Pity is for victims. If nothing else, I refuse to be a victim._

"Good, you're still here."

Urbosa was jolted from her troubling reverie at hearing familiar voice come from the doorway. Revali stood in the threshold of the infirmary, bow gripped loosely in his right wing and emerald eyes coolly glaring at the desert dweller, devoid of any residual anger from moments before. Before Urbosa had a chance to respond or otherwise question his presence, Revali stepped in, closed the door behind him, and approached Urbosa nonthreateningly.

"You don't say a word," Revali commanded, pointing his free wing at her. "Not until I'm done making three points to you. Can I at least garner that much respect out of you?" Curious as to what the Rito wanted to say, especially after having accepted her shoddy apology so effortlessly, Urbosa nodded and held her silence. Revali reached behind him and pulled his bow from his back, holding it from the top end and extending the other towards Urbosa. Her jade eyes unconsciously flickered to the bow, and her brows furrowed in confusion a she realized what had been tied on the bow; the scented blue ribbon she'd gifted Revali earlier. _Why in the world does he still have that?_

"This is not a declaration of my affections," Revali said with an amused undertone to his voice, "so don't get any ideas. Would you like to know why I _actually_ kept this on?" Overtaken by genuine curiosity, Urbosa glanced back up at Revali and nodded slowly. The Rito let his bow fall to his side, still gripping it from the end.

"I had approached our little sparring session with the intent to make amends," Revali said, glancing down at the ribbon. "Accepting your gift seemed like a decent way to start. I felt that by accepting a symbol of good faith from you, it'd send a message that I was willing to try and reason with you like a civilized person. Then you went and sent me to the infirmary because you were losing a spar." Urbosa scowled, not liking how close the Rito was to correctly guessing her true motives of not being able to back down from a challenge. Revali kept talking, not giving her an opportunity to break the agreement they'd reached earlier.

"Which, coincidentally," Revali said, shifting his weight to the side opposite his bow, "leads me to my second point."

_WHACK!_

A stinging pain erupted along Urbosa's cheek, and she involuntarily reached for her scimitar. To her surprise, Revali didn't make any further moves against Urbosa, instead opting to relax his stance and replace his bow to its place on his back.

"That was for summoning a lightning bolt on me," Revali said nonchalantly, shifting his shoulders to readjust his bow's placement. "I'm sure you can agree you deserved that." As much as it pained her to do so, Urbosa kept her mouth shut, having to actually bite down on her tongue to keep from spouting off a few colorful insults. Honestly, the Rito was treating her like nothing but a child…

_Now you know how it feels, yes?_ snarked a nagging voice in Urbosa's head.

_Be quiet,_ she told it testily, not wanting to add split personality disorder to her decently sized collective of shortcomings. Din knew that the last thing Urbosa needed was another reason for Revali to be proven right. The Rito in question seemed to want to say something else, but a lump had obviously formed unbidden in his throat. Urbosa's brows knit together in confusion, and decided to risk voicing a few innocent words.

"What's your third point?" she asked, slipping her hand down to her cocked-out hip. There was a massive temptation for her to tack on some snappy suffix to her inquiry; maybe some extra prod to his monologuing ego? But Urbosa felt something stop the pithy retorts in her throat, leaving an unpleasant burning sensation in her sternum. _I wonder if my words sound as rancid as they taste._ It wasn't the most pleasant of all thoughts, she had to admit, but it had its merits. Revali gave her an odd glance, looking her agile form over as though he'd seen a sudden change in her. Something about the gaze was piercing, and Urbosa could swear she felt Revali's demeanor change.

"You actually just proved my third point," Revali said slowly, still eyeing her with that spear-tipped stare. "I could see how badly you wanted to mouth off to me, and you didn't. I think that means something." The Gerudo titled her head, quashing the unease that arose in her at how effortlessly Revali picked up on her struggle to hold her silence.

"And what exactly _is_ that something, my Rito friend?" asked Urbosa, casually flicking back a strand of crimson hair in an attempt to hide her unsettled pride. The barest hints of a knowing smirk snuck their way onto his beak.

"You have the ability to restrain yourself," Revali said, pointing a wing at her in a jesting accusation, "despite how unbelievable that sounds." Urbosa rolled her eyes and shook her head with a disbelieving scoff.

"Just when I thought you were just about to say something insightful..." Urbosa clicked her tongue and _tsked._ "Such a shame you turned out to be setting me up for a witty comment."

"That wasn't insightful?" asked Revali, and one could hear his suspension of disbelief being stretched. "I just insinuated that you constantly antagonize me on purpose, and _that's_ your only response?"

"On _purpose?"_

"Well, of course," Revali pointed out, shrugging in what would have been a nonchalant manner were it not for the sneer snaking its way onto his face. "You demonstrated that you're capable of restraint, ergo all the times you've ragged on me have been intentional." ,em>How is this insufferable peacock reading me so well? He cannot possibly _know me well enough…_

"And why is this important?" Urbosa said, trying to deflect the Rito's emotional marksmanship away from her mental inner workings. "Did you not accept my apology just two minutes ago? We should be over this nonsense by now, right?" Revali chuckled and shook his head.

"I accepted your abysmal apology to get Mipha off my back about it," said the Rito archer coolly, "not because I actually thought you meant a word of it. Besides, you think that almost killing me with a lightning bolt can be made up for by a shoddy apology, and a forced one nonetheless? Think again, Urbosa."

"I repeat, what's your point?" Urbosa said through gritted teeth, resisting the rather powerful urge to rest her hand on her scimitar's hilt. Somehow, she got the impression that such an action _might_ inflate tensions to even worse levels. "You sound like a shady merchant wanting to collect on an old debt."

"Fitting, isn't it?" Revali said, a smug smirk warping his beak. "After all this time of you having the upper hand, it's now _my_ turn to have you wrapped around my finger."

"Ex _cuse_ me?"

"This is how things are going to work between us for the foreseeable future," Revali said, ignoring Urbosa's indignant protest and counting off points on his wingtips. "Firstly, you are not going to cause me any undue annoyance or harm simply because you feel like it. Secondly, you will go and tell our little merry band of warriors, especially Mipha, about how horrible you feel regarding your treatment of me over the last several days, and how you've made tremendous efforts to reform yourself." Urbosa scoffed and crossed her arms over her armored breast, not interrupting simply out of curiosity of where the Rito's delusions of grandeur were taking him.

"Finally," Revali continued, eyeing Urbosa with a seriousness that contradicted his words, "you will actively participate in a private training session with me, where I will do you the great honor of trying to teach you how to use a _real_ weapon; a bow. Understand?"

Urbosa couldn't help the laugh that tore itself out of her throat. It wasn't a false laugh that followed a terrible joke; it was a true, honest, from-the-gut laugh that erupted from the Gerudo. Her mirth lingered for a good while, during which Revali simply eyed her with an amused expression and waited patiently for Urbosa to take a breath.

"Are you done?" asked the archer as the swordswoman wiped at her eyes and sighed contentedly.

"I could probably go on for a few more years," Urbosa admitted with another chuckle. "I'm honestly surprised you think I'd consider doing any of that for a single second, much less the foreseeable future."

"That's part of the reason I kept this little beauty," Revali said smugly, waving around his bow to flaunt the ribbon she'd given him. "You don't, and I start giving people proof of your undeniable love for me. Imagine the humiliation that might come with that…" A sadistic grin crossed the archer's beak as he palmed the loose tassel of the ribbon. "It turns out that all this time, she was trying to get my attention with all her pranks… just so I would notice her and maybe reciprocate her hidden feelings."

Urbosa, needless to say, was mortified. The Rito's blackmail theory made sense; the situation sounded so preposterous that it would actually begin to make sense to an outsider who had no knowledge of the pair's reciprocal dislike of each other. Urbosa would be painted as the emotionally unstable fangirl, with Revali casted as the charming hero who swept her off her feet. _Not in my lifetime, you sadist._

"The blue ribbon is a Rito tradition," said the Gerudo, struggling to keep her voice even from the rage and unease that festered inside of her. "No one with half a brain would ever believe that a Gerudo gave that to you."

"Is it really such a leap in logic?" Revali asked calmly, obviously having thought through his whole argument. "After all, you _did_ go through the trouble of infusing it with the scent of your hair. How did you put it; 'just so I remember who it's from'?"

"What makes you think that I care about anyone else's opinion?" Urbosa asked, not liking the cramped verbal corner Revali was pushing her into. "Besides, it wouldn't take much for me to simply disprove your words and tell everyone you were lying."

"Ah, yes, but _I've_ got all the evidence that points to the contrary," Revali said, shaking a wingtip at her knowingly. "Your cries of foul play will be drowned in favor of a simpler theory; you're simply in denial of the realization of your long-sought affections." Before Urbosa could open her mouth to formulate another half-baked rebuttal, Revali closed the distance between them quick as a flash, smug grin and piercing eyes inches from her own. There was a knowing air that Revali exuded in that moment, and it compelled the rowdy Gerudo to hold her silence.

"And don't try to pretend you don't care about what everyone thinks," Revali said in a low rumble, staring straight into Urbosa's soul. With their proximity, Urbosa could get a subtle whiff of— _no, I am_ not _doing that to myself._ "I know you care. _You_ know you care. Your pride is too great for you not to care." The argument Revali made was a valid one, but talking about pride left him open for a counter, an opportunity that Urbosa gladly seized.

"You're one to talk," she spat, not backing down from the Rito's proximity and fervently hoping that every bit of Gerudo rage and indignance was clear in her jade eyes. "Especially considering all the—."

_*cough*_

Both Champions froze at hearing an outside presence. Urbosa felt her heart stop and turn to ice, and judging by Revali's now-white face, he was experiencing similar symptoms. Mortified to their cores, the bickering comrades slowly turned their heads to the door…

"Should I come back another time?" Daruk asked from the infirmary doorway, obviously struggling to keep his amusement hidden behind the poor facade of a coughing fit. "Kinda looks like I was interruptin' somethin' between you two…" Realizing their compromising proximity to each other, Urbosa and Revali separated in the blink of an eye, putting a non-suggestive distance between them in the wake of Daruk's _quite_ suggestive insinuation. The Goron Champion chuckled and shook his head as he stepped inside, stopping between them and gripping their shoulders with each of his massive hands. Urbosa struggled against him as Daruk pushed her and Revali together, shoulder to shoulder, so he could look them both in the eye.

"I don't know what else to try with ya," mused the rock eater to himself while the two victimized Champions in his grip squirmed against the close contact they were being subjected to. "I tried to beat the idea of cooperatin' in your heads, an' that didn't work. I just talked to Mipha, an' _she_ said she had the two of ya talk it all out, and it's clear that didn't work out." Daruk sighed, and Urbosa could easily imagine him scratching his chest in thought did he not have said hands occupied at the moment.

"Why don't the both of ya tell me what I need to do?" Daruk said eventually, giving both struggling Champions a pensive look. Urbosa tried to concentrate on the Goron holding her hostage instead of her numbing arm and torso. "Hm? What needs to happen before you two can start getting' along instead of tryin' to bite each other's heads off like rabid cuccos?" The question was a valid one, and Urbosa felt herself glance over at Revali unbidden, not really surprised to find him glancing right back at her. A curious skepticism entwined his face, raising an eyebrow and twisting his beak in a facsimile of a frown. Urbosa imagined that her own expression was something akin to the archer's.

_What do I actually want from Revali?_ Urbosa wondered absentmindedly. She was taken aback at how she'd never considered asking herself that question before. As chieftess of the Gerudo, Urbosa was already quite adept at analyzing the source of a petty squabble between citizens, travelers, and merchants, and choosing an appropriate solution accordingly. For whatever reason, the ability to do so failed to manifest in response to Daruk's question.

"I want some modicum of respect out of you, Urbosa," Revali said, snapping Urbosa from her thoughts as the pair continued staring at each other. "And if I can't at the very least have that, I want a damn good excuse as to why I can't." The Rito paused for a minute to let out an indignant huff, squirming against Urbosa as Daruk held them tightly. "Actually, scratch that. I don't want _any_ excuse you might have, not after hearing your pathetic attempt at an apology. Hey, will you let me go, you lummox?" Daruk finally relented at the Rito's words, releasing both Champions and taking a step back, watching Revali with a hopeful curiosity. The newly-freed pair of warriors stretched their aching backs and shoulders for a second before Revali cast a glance at Urbosa.

"It really isn't the most demanding request ever," said the archer, rolling his left shoulder as he sighed heavily, casting his eyes off to the side. "I just… want to be seen as your equal, Urbosa. I've done nothing to deserve otherwise. I've earned my right to be a Champion just as you have, so… can we start acting like it, if not for my pride then for the sake of our sanity?" The composed tone of Revali's voice caught Urbosa the slightest bit off guard. The anger and annoyance had drained from the confident Rito; the fight in him seemed to have eroded to an almost imperceptible sliver of what it had once been. A beaten, battered, and exhausted warrior spoke her now, nothing at all like the Revali she was familiar with. _Or perhaps I've simply been too blinded by my arrogance to notice before._

"Daruk," Urbosa said absentmindedly, not taking her eyes off of Revali. "Could you do me a favor and go check on Zelda? I'd like to know if she's holding up well." The Goron in question frowned and scratched his chin.

"I just came from her study. Besides, wouldn't it be better if _you—."_

"Daruk. Leave now."

"Oh… gotcha." Daruk finally seemed to understand what Urbosa meant, and with a reluctant nod the Goron turned on his heel and lumbered out of the infirmary, losing the door as gently as he could behind him. Revali followed the Goron's departure, then turned back to look at Urbosa with unease lingering in his eyes.

"You isolated us," he pointed out redundantly. "Should I brace myself for pain, or is this the part where you make an amorous speech about how I've changed your life and you've completely fallen for me?"

"You may want to end up bracing yourself regardless, Revali," Urbosa managed to say, running her hand through her thick mane of crimson hair and looking aside for a moment. With her other hand resting firmly on her hip, she mentally debated whether or not she should voice what had come to her mind. It seemed that, in perhaps typical fashion, the Gerudo warrior would be unable to hold her silence. Whether that was for the better or the worse would soon be up for debate. "And I do not mean for a beating. I sent Daruk away to diminish the audience, seeing as how I have enough trouble admitting this to _myself…"_ Forcing herself to look Revali in the eye, she hesitated in continuing as she saw Revali's face contort in annoyance.

"Oh, _please_ don't let this be some contrived confession," protested the archer with a theatrical sigh. "I was just joking—."

"Shut up and let me talk, you twit."

Thankfully, Revali seemed to get the message and he obediently ceased his tirade. Urbosa heaved a deep breath to compose herself. _Admitting my faults to Revali shouldn't be this difficult,_ thought the Gerudo chieftess while she ran a hand through her thick mane of hair. _At least I got him to close his trap…_

"You've asked me to treat you as an equal," Urbosa began, still not entirely certain of where she wanted to go with her monologue. "The issue is I… well, despite what you would believe, I _have_ been treating you as an equal." Revali's snort seemed ten times louder than normal, though if that was because of the room's acoustics or Urbosa's worsening nerves she had no way of knowing.

"Let me finish," protested the Gerudo, which earned her both another snort and respectful silence. "I realize that constant prodding and jesting at your expense might not qualify as respecting an equal to you as a Rito… but to me it does." Confusion snuck its way across Revali's face, and Urbosa forced herself to keep speaking lest she forget where she was going with her point.

"It is not an issue of a culture gap," she quickly clarified, "because, now that I think about it, my attitude has drawn a fair amount of contempt from my own people occasionally…" Urbosa went quiet for a moment, brows furrowing and mouth opening just the slightest as it began to dawn on her just how much trouble she'd given others over her lifetime. _I've disillusioned myself,_ thought the Gerudo warrior. _I've taken away my pride, my skill, and my role as chief… and what's left of me doesn't look too pretty._

"… I am aware that my form of respect might seem odd," Urbosa continued slowly, as though trying to comprehend her own words, "and that, if anything, this will sound like an excuse…" A short pause, during which Revali scoffed. "… but I put you down and beat you up because I think you can take it." Revali's eyes narrowed, on the brink just between earnest confusion and indignant anger.

"I'm inclined to dismiss that theory of yours," said the Rito, crossing his wings over his chest. "You seem to respect others and give _them_ common courtesy, but when it comes time to show _me_ some of that respect—."

"That's different!" Urbosa snapped, anger surfacing at how dismissive the archer was being. _I'm trying to bare my soul to you, idiot. LET ME DO IT._ "That is to say… I do respect others in a much less… _volatile_ manner, I admit, but you're a different case."

"I am _well_ aware of that by this point," Revali said with sardonic acid eating away at his words. "Tell me what exactly makes me so special that I warrant being shocked by a bolt of lightning."

"The respect I hold for Zelda, Link, Mipha, and Daruk is profound in its own right," Urbosa said, trying to build up an argument before the Riot could make another complaint. "I admire each of them for their own experiences, turmoil, and achievements, but you're one step higher than that." There was a quiet pause as Urbosa collected her frantic thoughts, trying to solidify the point she was making without losing her nerve.

"I seem to have taken this interest in you because, as much as I would like to deny it…" Urbosa pursed her lips and shook her head, averting her eyes to the ground in an uncharacteristic act of bashfulness. "… I see myself in you, Revali. That's why I do all this to you."

Whatever retort Revali had been preparing visibly died in his throat, and all that came out was a sputtering cough. Obviously, he hadn't been expecting that justification… and honestly neither had Urbosa. Despite the initial shock, the more she thought about it, the more it began to make sense to her, and she expressed as much.

"We're both greatly skilled in combat," began the Gerudo, cocking her hip to the side and counting off on her fingers. "Both of us are admired for our prowess and leadership."

"That describes a fair amount of people…"

"We're known for our pride," Urbosa continued, casting a silencing glance at the Rito. "And we're known to dislike each other."

"Now _that_ actually makes sense."

"Oh, quiet," said the Gerudo in half-hearted annoyance. Her gaze quickly turned serious, and when she locked eyes with Revali a nervous light crossed over his face. Urbosa felt herself sober instantly. Oddly, her normal humor seemed to be abandoning her, and she felt something open in her chest; not entirely pleasant or undesirable, but different nonetheless. Something was compelling Urbosa to be entirely honest with Revali, which was fascinating in its own right because she almost never was honest with anyone, not even herself… which presented an even greater mystery; why Revali?

_Because as much as you'd hate to admit it, you trust him. You trust him much more than you're comfortable with._

Urbosa was most definitely not comfortable with it, but she continued regardless.

"I… won't attempt to excuse my actions, Revali," Urbosa said absentmindedly, that growing sensation in her chest filling her with an uncharacteristic melancholy. "I've been an inexcusable, immature child who was unable to see past her pride for more than two seconds, even to admit her own faults." Revali visibly gulped, his emerald eyes flickering around the room anywhere but where Urbosa was. The anxiety that surrounded the Rito archer was beginning to get to Urbosa; they could both feel something off about her humility.

The Gerudo fixed her fellow Champion with a somber stare, one that pierced right into a person's soul. "I find you unbearable to deal with and an egotistical peacock most of the time," Urbosa admitted, crossing her arms over her armored breast and curling her mouth into a frown. Her eyes flickered to the ground before finding their way back to Revali's, who rather looked like a cornered animal at the moment. "I think I've seen myself in you all this time… and my vitriol towards you has truly been denial at who I really am."

"Urbosa, I think that's quite enough to make your—."

"Let me finish," insisted the swordswoman, now too committed to stop herself. She'd poked a hole in her own ego, and she could feel it draining out of her drop by drop. _I never imagined that clearing one's conscience would be such a relief._ "Speaking truly, I admire you, Revali. Unlike any of us, you came from absolutely nothing, fought against the entire kingdom, and proved yourself worthy of greatness. That demonstrates character that I can only ever hope to emulate."

Strangely, despite Urbosa's positive words, Revali seemed to be nearing closer and closer to a state of panic. His eyes were flighty, his posture was nervous, and his feathered chest heaved with unsteady breaths. _I hope he can take some more of my blatant honesty,_ Urbosa thought to herself, _because I am far from done._

"I see myself in you because we both challenge the world to prove ourselves," said the Gerudo warrior, feeling an emotional tenor shake her voice with heavy infliction. "We pretend not to care about what others have to say because admitting our faults is too terrifying a prospect. And, until we Champions assembled, I'd never met anyone who I could truly relate to. Until I met you."

Revali's panic seemed to be worsening. "Urbosa, stop talking," pleaded the Rito, although why exactly he was so worried was beyond Urbosa. "You're not supposed to—."

"Let me speak my mind, dammit!" shouted the Gerudo, so deeply invested in her catharsis that she had ceased to concern herself with eavesdroppers. The entire planet could her tirade if it wanted to, because at the very least that would mean two people were listening; Revali, and herself. "I try to bring you down because I've refused to believe that you could be at all like me; I could not force myself to comprehend that someone else experienced the same turmoil as I on a daily basis. So, I tried to prove to myself that you were nothing like me."

"Urbosa, _please—."_

"I went after you relentlessly," continued the Gerudo chieftess, not even acknowledging the Rito's pleas. "I berated you, I taunted you, I even went so low as to shock you with lightning and belittle you as you recovered. Each time, waiting to see you give up, to decide that besting me was simply not worth the toil. Yet, you persisted."

"Urbosa, stop—."

"You persisted!" reiterated the impassioned Champion, by now entirely unable of taking 'no' for an answer. "And now, with all the evidence laid plain before me, I am left with but one conclusion; we are the same, and I am truly grateful for that." _Sweet Goddesses, why are my eyes misting up?_

"You've officially proven yourself in my eyes," Urbosa said after taking a steadying breath. She tried to pierce through Revali's fear to make it known to him just how serious she was being with him. The Gerudo wasn't about to be dismissed as a prankster--not this time, not when she spoke with such conviction. "I realize my blessing might not mean much to you, if it ever had any worth to begin with, but in spite of that I would like to extend a hand of friendship. We are connected through turmoil and experience, Revali, and such a connection has the possibility to—."

"For Dinsake, just _stop!"_

Rendered somewhat vulnerable from her exposed emotions, Urbosa was shocked into silence at hearing the Rito marksbird's interruption of her statement. A frantic anger had eclipsed the fear that had manifested in Revali's features, and although she was in no physical danger, the rage in Revali's emerald eyes was enough to send an unprecedented chill down the Greudo's spine.

"You… you can't just—." Revali twitched his head to the side and laughed, raising his wings to link behind his head and chuckle in disbelief. The anger in his eyes had lessened slightly, but was still extremely prevalent. "You can't just spend all this time tormenting me, then do a complete 180 and decide you've liked me this entire time."

"I never said I liked—."

"We have a _connection?"_ Revali scoffed, running his wingtips through his braided hair. "We're the only two people who will ever understand each other? How do you go from frying me with a lightning bolt to _that?"_ Urbosa had to swallow both her pride and some rampant emotions to maintain her composure.

"It was never an arbitrary change!" Urbosa insisted, taking a step forward and spreading her arms. "I've just said that my prodding of you has been solely to—."

"To _test my resolve,_ yes, I heard you," Revali said tiredly, waving a wing in a dismissive gesture, brow furrowed. "But you're not supposed to _care_ about any of that."

"I'm not… what?" A stupefied Urbosa could only ask for clarification and desperately hope she somehow hadn't overstepped a boundary.

"You started off your heroic speech with some comments about both our combat prowess and leadership qualities," Revali began, shaking his head and pacing a few steps in front of Urbosa. "And that made sense, because skill and leaders are tangible things that are worthy of respect." Urbosa's mouth opened slightly as her eyes narrowed, unsure of where the Rito was going with his monologue and not at all willing to stop him.

"Then you went on and on about us being the same people, about how we've suffered the same turmoil and believed in the same ideals and stood for the same morals and it just… it makes absolutely _no_ sense."

"How is it possibly so confusing?" Urbosa asked, unable to hold her silence any longer. Seeing the Rito tear himself apart over her words was beginning to have an unpleasant effect on her; one she was entirely unfamiliar with, and as such knew nothing on how to deal with it. "Our journeys to where we are today have been remarkably—."

"That's just it!" Revali said, voice spiking in volume and catching the off-kilter Gerudo chieftess. "When you say _journeys,_ you should be talking about something real, something you can prove; like what locations we've been in, what we've done in them. Instead, what you're talking about is completely… it's… it's all so unreal!" Urbosa pursed her lips and knit her eyebrows together. ,em>Where is his confusion coming from? He just described what I was talking about, so how can he claim to not comprehend it?

"Unreal?"

"Yes!" said Revali with antsy exasperation. "You're saying you respect me for intangible, immaterial things that you can't even prove are there, instead of for the reasons everyone else respects me. How can that be, when the only thing that matters is what we can see, what we can quantify?" Revali took a deep breath before continuing.

"I just don't understand why you're different," said Revali, and Urbosa got the distinct impression that the Rito was no longer speaking to her. The archer's voice shook with an uncertain depth, a current of emotion flowing through it rapidly. "I've excelled at proving I'm better than everyone else I've come across, except for you. Everyone judges me for my skill with the bow and with flight, except for you. Farore, while we're on the subject, none have ever managed to—erm, never mind."

Uneasy, conflicted silence permeated the space between the Champions, each of them having borne a part of their soul to the other, and neither of them feeling very confident about it. Urbosa did her best to ignore Revali cutting himsefl off there at the end as she tried to salvage the situation in the best way she could.

"Why does this bother you so, Revali?" asked Urbosa, trying to calm her suddenly erratic breathing by settling into the somewhat comforting pose that was comprised of her hands moving to her hips. "Why should it matter _why_ I respect you, so long as I do? Who cares about my logic when I can simply be another notch on your belt of admirers?"

"Because you're not," Revali blurted, obviously correcting her out of compulsion. "You're not just… another admirer."

"And what exactly makes me so special?" Urbosa asked with honest innocence, for once not at all feeling the urge to smirk. Instead, a rare and genuine smile spilt the Gerudo's lips, grudging satisfaction now visible for the other Champion to see. Unfortunately, Revali seemed to be nearly choking on his words, as though he wanted nothing more than to keep his beak closed, but his body refused to be silenced.

"You… fascinate me," said Revali, abject horror overriding his expression, though he did not stop speaking. "The way you act, the way you speak, the way you—erm, look…" Revali mumbled that last bit as he cleared his throat, obviously divulging more than he'd originally intended. It wasn't the first time Urbosa had been complemented, not even by Revali himself, but what the Rito said to her then felt to her like the most genuine compliment she'd received. _It's anyone's guess as to why…_

"You're entirely… unlike anyone else I've met," Revali finished, turning away and bowing his head in either shame, fear, or anxiousness, Urbosa couldn't tell. "So, I suppose that is why it matters to me. Not that I actually spend a significant amount of time thinking about you. Or any of what I mentioned. At all."

Something changed in Urbosa as she saw Revali's poor attempt at covering up his own words. The whirling sandstorm of confusion that had been wreaking havoc with her breathing died down, and she saw Revali in an entirely different light in that moment. The Rito did _some_ have redeeming qualities, and after some prying he'd convinced himself to let some of those qualities shine through the quagmire that was his usual demeanor. Urbosa had felt comfortable enough around Revali, somehow, to allow her own flaws and musings seep through for the archer to see as well. The Gerudo chieftess had not felt so comfortable around another living being since the passing of Zelda's mother, one of her closest friends. _Comfortable might be the wrong word, but that's beside the point..._

Now, seeing Revali standing with his back to her and heart in his hands, she found herself stepping forward. Not taking the time to stop and wonder what Revali's reaction might be, Urbosa stepped up to the turned, ashamed pride of the Rito and wrapped him in a warm embrace. The avian now held in her strong grasp tensed, and Urbosa could hear his breathing catch as she continued to lean forward, eventually resting her head on top of his shoulder. Despite Revali's unease, Urbosa felt a strange solace meander through her body as she held Revali close to her chest. It suddenly felt as though she'd learned how to breathe twice as deep, and everything seemed to slow down. _He smells like cool safflina,_ Urbosa noted absentmindedly. _I suppose it was only a matter of time until I noticed that, given all the trouble I give him about my blue nightshade ribbon._

Speaking of Revali, the Gerudo warrior was (pleasantly?) surprised to find that the archer had slowly begun to relax his rigid form, tensed muscles gradually loosening as he seemed to ease into her embrace. Somehow, the full weight of what she was doing to someone she'd harbored a longtime hatred for failed to hit her. It didn't matter, at least not then it didn't.

"I…" Revali's soft words nearly startled Urbosa, but she restrained herself from jumping in surprise. She hadn't expected him to regain his voice, and could hear him gulp. "I never asked for you... for you to do this," he said shakily. "Just because you fascinate me doesn't… mean I _care_ for you at all…" In spite of herself, Urbosa simply chuckled and released her grip on the Rito, somewhat glad that he didn't make an effort to bolt from the room the second she'd released him.

_I really do need to sort out my frazzled emotions sometime soon,_ Urbosa thought as their eyes met, jade on emerald, _but now isn't the time for that. All that matters, I suppose, is the fact that hugging this cucco was surprisingly satisfying._

"I don't care about you," Revali reaffirmed, sounding like he was trying to convince himself more than anyone. His voice had regained some of its strength, but there was still a tremor hidden in it that betrayed his true thoughts. All Urbosa could do was grin to herself and laugh as she made her way to the door, ready to leave… after one final comment, that is.

"Of course you don't, Revali," said the Gerudo over her shoulder, giving a confident wink despite her uncertainty. She wondered if her confidence looked just as forced as Revali's denial did. "Of course you don't." With that, Urbosa turned on her heel and left, leaving an open-mouthed Rito behind her and a countless number of jumbled emotions ahead of her.

Urbosa was so concerned with her own revelations that she didn't notice a certain red-finned Zora princess watching from across the hall, a soft but satisfied smile crossing her face as the Gerudo walked away.


	10. The Definition of a Lifetime

The next few days seemed to stretch on endlessly for young Zelda.

In the wake of the gatehouse disaster that had incapacitated her knight and Princess Mipha almost a week ago, the Hylian royal pored over her training and experiments with a much-increased vigor. She'd had Link accompany her to the Spring of Courage, hoping that her knight's connection to the goddess and a direct speaking point with said goddess would help her unlock her power. Unfortunately, her prayers had been in vain, and the pair had returned to the castle empty-handed and in relatively poor spirits.

To compensate, Zelda worked overtime on understanding the Guardians and how they functioned. She and a team of Sheikah scientists sent over by Purah had re-worked all their theories and studies to see where they'd gone wrong. At the time of the accident, they'd only been trying to make the Guardian Stalker walk around; the weapons systems were never supposed to have been activated. An analysis of the charred Stalker's remains was regrettably inconsequential; the pieces were far too corroded and scorched to be of any use. Zelda occasionally found herself wishing that Daruk, Link, and Mipha hadn't entirely destroyed the Stalker, but she ceded that desire to her acknowledgment of the greater good.

Thankfully, Zelda's mood had lifted slightly as a breakthrough was eventually made; the Sheikah Slate was in fact critical to the understanding of the Guardians. Apparently, the rectangular device appeared to be the centerpiece of countless more Sheikah technologies, including the Divine Beasts. Bits of information regarding the four colossi led Zelda and the scientists to believe that the Slate was intended to be the great connector and controller of the Sheikah technology, and that it housed many more secrets within it as well. They'd discovered the image-copying mechanism that had been used by Purah during the Champion's induction ceremony, and Zelda hadn't been able to stop herself from using it since. It was breathtaking, just how accurately and vividly it could record the images that it saw, and Zelda was certain she'd never forget anything important so long as she captured an image of it.

However, not all was well with the world quite yet, as there remained a rather large moblin in the metaphysical room. Still at the back of Zelda's mind was the breakdown she'd suffered in her study a week prior, right before they'd decided to go to the Spring of Courage. It had been quite possibly one of the most humiliating moments of Zelda's short life. Looking back with distaste and horror at her conduct, she could not believe how she had allowed herself to have an emotional breakdown in the presence of not only Link, but also Daruk, who she had also brushed off during her angry tirade. That was perhaps the part that irked her the most, because she'd had no right to drag the jolly Goron into her world of turmoil.

As much as she regretted compromising her stature and composure, something in the core of Zelda's being wouldn't allow her to regret what she'd said in regard to Link's past. Just because one intended to keep a thought to oneself didn't make it any less of a truth.

Zelda sighed to herself, lowering her pen and closing her scientific journal mid-scrawl. It just… wasn't fair, not in any way, shape, or form. She had lost so much of her life: her mother, her freedom, and apparently also her birthright to kingdom-saving powers… while Link got everything. She'd watched his progress throughout his knight's training, observing from her confining ivory tower as he excelled at swordplay, completely dominating soldiers who were easily a decade his senior. At the crisp age of seventeen he became the youngest member of the Royal Guard in the history of Hyrule, and not much longer after that she and her father had accompanied Link to Korok Forest, where he'd succeeded in pulling the Master Sword from its ancient pedestal.

It was much too perfect, and that was part of why Zelda couldn't stand to look at Link most of the time, especially when he was with Princess Mipha. She had nothing against their feelings for each other, but seeing them flaunt their love for each other made her feel an irrational, burning jealousy. Everything about Link's life was just so streamlined and flawless… and as much as she knew it made her sound like a child, Goddesses above, it just wasn't _fair!_ Greatness was said to grow and prosper through struggle, was it not? Then why did Link get everything he ever wanted simply because the Goddesses chose him to wield a sword that someone found sticking out of the stone?

Shaking her head with an annoyed huff, Zelda stood and straightened her clothes, shaking her head slowly. Calling Link out on what had transpired between Urbosa and Revali had been uncalled for, she knew that. No one in their right mind could blame him and Mipha for whatever issues the Gerudo and Rito were having with each other (something she intended to look into later). Despite that, it had simply been one failure in a depressingly long line of such failures on her part.

Something about that had to change. What exactly, Zelda wasn't sure, but she knew that her constant hatred of Link was unsustainable. Either she had to get over her dislike of him, or she had to learn to not let it affect her demeanor. The Hylian Princess began to formulate a plan that would hopefully resolve at least some of the grievances she held against her knight, and she moved towards her study's door.

Just before she could, the door opened on its own, revealing a tall Gerudo just on the other side. "You look rather pale, my little bird," said Urbosa with a fond smile, hand already on her hip. "Can't you at the very least open one of these windows, let some sun in?" Zelda, in spite of herself and her plans, allowed herself to smile. Just a little, for Urbosa.

"Did you come here just for that?" asked the young girl, not at all trying to hide the urgency in her voice, hoping that the Gerudo Champion would understand and let her pass without incident. Unfortunately for the Princess, Urbosa understood her urgency clear as crystal; she did not, however, intend to let her pass.

"I wanted to see how you were doing, Zelda," Urbosa said seriously, tilting her head down a bit. The chieftess' free hand inadvertently moved to smooth her hair, something Zelda noticed immediately. Despite giving off an air of indifference towards her usual appearance, the young Hylian knew that Urbosa greatly prided herself on her mane of luscious crimson hair, and now that she examined it… its quality was far below her usual standards. Which meant something happened. Something that distracted the Gerudo so badly that she didn't even bother to maintain her appearance.

Perhaps Zelda was making an issue out of a minor oddity… but, as she knew from experience, nothing with Urbosa was ever _minor;_ and, if it was, she usually rectified that fairly quickly.

"You are vindicating my concern, Zelda," said the swordswoman slowly, concerned curiosity sweeping over the taller woman's face as Zelda was brought from her concentration. "Being flighty and unfocused is unlike you. What is bothering you?" The Hylian Princess' lips pursed, not from annoyance per se, but more from the inconvenient timing of everything. She knew that lying to her mother-figure was not exactly the smartest move she could make, but the girl was desperate to get her issues with Link resolved.

"Nothing is bothering me, Urbosa," she said, trying to at the very least keep her expression neutral enough to be believable. "I simply have several vital experiments that I need to oversee." This was not strictly a lie. One _could_ consider the conversation she planned to have with Link an experiment, if you looked at it from the right angle…

"Do these experiments involve a certain Hylian boy?" asked Urbosa, only the tiniest bit of teasing intent hidden in her tone. "I understand you went off on him quite suddenly a few days ago." Zelda frowned, unhappy that Urbosa wasn't going to let her go. Perhaps simply coming clean would help her make her case, at least marginally.

"They do," Zelda said tersely, and she instantly regretted the tone she'd used the second the words had left her mouth. "I wanted to… make amends. For the good of the kingdom." Urbosa's emerald eyes bore twin holes into her chest. Whatever the occasion, Zelda was always fascinated by how easily the Gerudo woman was at picking apart her soul. Usually, the Princess had no qualms about it, as she had always believed that Urbosa was morally unwavering and a reliable example of an emotionally stable person. However…

"Very well," said Urbosa with a reluctant sigh, shaking her head a bit and stepping to the side. "Do what you must, my little bird. Just remember that our good friend Link may be more alike to you than it seems." As Zelda stepped forward to begin her exit, she glanced up at the Gerudo.

"I will gladly take that into consideration, so long as you do the same for Master Revali," said Zelda, allowing herself a small grin as her words drew a groan from Urbosa. It was always _very_ rewarding whenever the rare occasion arose where Zelda found one of Urbosa's weak points for a change.

"Din knows I've already reconciled _that_ with myself," said the chieftess, shaking her head as her mouth shifted into a playful frown. Zelda began to walk out of her study and onto the balcony/bridge that connected her sanctuary to the rest of the castle. Urbosa followed her closely. "Besides, I doubt that insufferable Rito actually took any of what I said to him to heart. He likely just attempted to ignore it all."

"You spoke with Master Revali?" asked Zelda, curiosity piqued. Now _there_ was a conversation she would have liked to have been a part of. "What did you say?"

"Several things that, at the moment, are of no consequence to you, Zelda," said Urbosa, a jesting air still about her, but with a sliver of defensiveness creeping its way in. "Rest assured that we'll get a lid on our shenanigans sometime soon. Hopefully within the decade." Zelda allowed herself a laugh, and Urbosa joined in as they reached the end of the bridge.

"So, what exactly do you have planned for master Link?" asked Urbosa, quirking a brow and casting an odd glance at Zelda. "I'm assuming you would rather I stay away?" The Hylian Princess nodded gratefully, glad that the Gerudo understood her slight apprehension.

"Yes, I would greatly appreciate that," Zelda said, looking up at her companion. "I am going to have one of my guards send for him, so you will have time before he arrives."

"You're not going to get him yourself?"

"No. This is to remind him that, despite what I did in my anguish earlier this week, I am still his Princess and that _he_ must be the one to come to me."

"I see the logic in that. After all, we most certainly cannot have _you_ coming to—."

"Urbosa!"

Zelda did all she could to hide the red that struggled to rise to her cheeks as Urbosa gave a hearty laugh.

/-\\-/-\\-/-\\-/-\

Mipha smiled to herself as she walked out of her room that morning, losing her eyes and raising her arms above her head for a languid stretch. She was greatly enjoying herself and the time spent at Hyrule Castle, if only because of the never-ending stream of interesting events that seemed to unfold.

First, she'd found the courage to finally admit her feelings to Link. Mipha felt her fond smile grow as she recalled the moment they'd shared in the Sanctum after exchanging Dinsday gifts. It may not have been as dramatic as all the romance novels she'd read in her early youth, filled with passion and desire, true. But they'd both made their feelings known, and that was enough for the both of them.

Mipha had long since learned to appreciate the fact that the love shared between her and Link was not enflamed and dramatic. The more she thought about it, the more she concluded that a passionate love wasn't quite as pure as everyone seemed to think it was. From how Mipha saw it, partners who relied heavily on their love's passion did not truly love for the _person,_ but instead for… _other_ aspects of their relationship. From some of the older Zoran citizens at her home in the Domain, Mipha often remembered overhearing some of their conversations about falling in and out of love. A common reason the young Zora had heard for splitting with a partner was that they had "lost the spark" for each other. That, to Mipha, just served to prove her point further.

Once passion faded from a loving relationship, the physical aspect faded as well, and so did the constant need to be touched and caressed and kissed by one's love. With all of that gone, the only thing left was simply oneself and the person they had claimed to love. _That_ was the true trial of love, Mipha believed; learning to love someone simply for who they were, while stripping away all the distractions. Not everything had to dissolve into a dramatic firestorm of emotion, and it didn't have to be every day where a soul-tearing conflict would test the strength of lovers' bonds, only to be resolved later in an amorous kiss. Sometimes, an earring and a simple hug were enough to express everything that words couldn't because those truly in love did not need more than each other's company.

Having everything dissolve into chaos and bluster seemed more Urbosa and Revali's speed, if anything.

What Mipha had witnessed in the infirmary between the Gerudo and Rito was something she would not forget for a long, long time. Beyond watching them share an embrace, which was more than enough to pique the Zora's interest, she was primarily fascinated by the way they'd let down their respective walls and shared in some painfully vulnerable admissions. Urbosa had come clean with her admiration of Revali, and the archer had allowed himself to grudgingly admit his own fascination of the swordswoman. Even if the moment had only been a short one before they'd hid from each other in mutual embarrassment, Mipha still knew something wonderful could come from it.

It was for this reason that the Zora royal found herself knocking on the sturdy door of Daruk's room in Hyrule Castle. The Goron Champion had expressed interest in getting Urbosa and Revali on less hostile terms with each other, and Mipha felt that an alliance, of sorts, might be useful.

_I haven't felt a rush of excitement this strong in ages,_ Mipha thought with a barely restrained grin. _Not since Link left to train as a knight… in our childhood._ She'd been able to find joys in spending time with her family and other close friends when Link had left the Domain as a child, but nothing could compare to watch him climb (and fall off of) rocky cliffs and swimming up and down the rivers with him side by side. There had been a purity to Link, and that was one of the many reasons she fell for him.

Regardless, Mipha put aside her wistful reminiscences as the door opened, and an energetic Goron greeted her.

"Mornin', Lady Mipha!" said Daurk, cracking a jovial grin. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"I actually wanted to speak with you about something regarding our fellow Champions," Mipha said, allowing a smile to spread across her lips in response to Daruk's energy. "That is, if you have a minute?"

"Oh sure, sure, c'mon in!" Daruk moved to the side to allow the much smaller Champion to enter into his temporary abode. Mipha took a moment to scan her surroundings, and she gave a soft giggle at realizing there was nothing in the room except for the single stone bed in the middle of it. Daruk made his way back over to her and sat down on the stone's edge. Mipha allowed herself to settle in on the very edge of the bed, not able to find any other suitable place to sit. How Daruk managed to sleep on that bed, she would never know. Nothing compared to a luxurious water bed…

"Nothing's _wrong,_ is it?" asked Daruk, and it occurred to the Zora that he was gauging her expression. "'Cause I know you've been talkin' with Urbosa and Revali and I hope everythin' is still fine between 'em…" Mipha felt her face redden a bit.

"O-oh, of course everything is fine," sputtered the flustered Zoran healer. "I-I simply wished to discuss something I… observed the other day." _Goddesses, I need to improve my ability to hide my intentions better. It appears politics are not to become my area of strength._

"Oh, you must be talkin' about what Urbosa did to Revali."

"You…" Mipha blinked uncertainly. That had not taken him very long to catch onto. _Have I always been this easy to read?_ "You already knew about that?"

Daruk grinned widely. "I never saw with my own eyes, no. But I figured _somethin'_ must'a happened, 'cause Urbosa up and brushed by me in the hall without sayin' a word, and when I checked back with Revali he was still standin' there slack-jawed."

"Yes, he was quite incapacitated, wasn't he?" Mipha said, allowing herself a small giggle. "I honestly am quite surprised that Urbosa showed any semblance of true affection towards Revali at all."

"That's what gets ya the most?" asked the Goron, scratching his head thoughtfully. "I was more surprised by Revali even lettin' her do that to begin with. I was expectin' him to just bolt then and there."

"I suppose he was simply paralyzed by Urbosa's electric touch, hm?" Both Champions laughed at Mipha's comment, and the Zora actually laughed so hard she began to cry the slightest bit. After wiping away her mirthful tears, Mipha looked back over to Daruk with a smile. "I sound just like the pompous and airy novels I used to read when I was younger…"

"I think it's alright to describe it like that," Daruk said with an earthy chuckle. "Just to make sure… you are talkin' about us tryin' to get those two closer to each other, right?" Mipha replied with a short, confident nod, and Daruk sighed heavily. "Well, good. I'd gladly help ya do that, so long as we don't ry anythin' too… I dunno… ,em>sadistic, or somethin' of the like."

"Of course not, Daruk," assured Mipha, glad to see that she would have his support. "I would never resort to anything unethical."

"Well, that's good," said the Goron, scratching absentmindedly at his chest. "I think they're pretty lucky."

"Yes, having someone who cares for you is certainly lucky," Mipha agreed, her face reddening just a bit as she contemplated her own luck. "I know that Link and I definitely appreciate our mutual feelings for each other…"

"I didn't really mean it that way," Daruk said, his chains clanking softly as he readjusted them around his chest. "It _is_ nice to have somebody like ya, but I meant lucky about their species more than anything." Mipha's brows furrowed, and she tilted her head up at the larger Champion.

"What do you mean?" asked the Zora girl cautiously. Daruk, however, did not catch on to the unease that the smaller Champion exuded.

"I just meant about their lifespans, is all," Daruk said with a casual shrug. "Gerudo and Rito have pretty close livelihoods, so if things work out it'll be… well, simple for 'em both. Good timing." Mipha blinked a few times. That _definitely_ wasn't the response she'd expected from the rock-eater.

"I apologize," Mipha said quietly, head tilted to the side curiously. "I do not quite understand how this could be 'good timing'. Are we not on the cusp of a battle with Ganon…?"

"Yeah, but what I meant was that they'll both… pass… at the same time." When Mipha's confused expression failed to fade, Daruk sighed and looked away. "I'm sorry, Mipha, I know that's kinda an inappropriate thing to be thinkin' about two of my fellow Champions. It's just that we Gorons have to think about this kinda thing before we get into any relationship."

Now Mipha's interest was piqued. "Think about what?"

"Lifespan," Daruk said, his voice oddly neutral. From a person as typically jovial as Daruk, neutral seemed to be his equivalent to distressed. "Since we Gorons are the shortest lived and all that. It kinda makes sense when you think about it, 'cause we eat rocks and all, but still…" The faintest wisps of a smile traced their way along the rock-eater's lips… and it looked rather bittersweet. "… I wouldn't give up a half-century lifespan for anything."

"Really?" asked Mipha with genuine curiosity. "It seems you would not have enough time to do all you wished… especially if you have a beloved."

"Well, the way I see it, the longer you live, the more stuff you wanna do," Daruk said, casting a fond glance over at the smaller Champion that sat beside him. "So it's all proportional anyways. Besides, living for a long time must be lonely, wouldn't it? Ev'rybody you know is just gonna die and leave you all alone…"

"I find that longevity brings a certain perspective on the world," Mipha said calmly, linking her hands in her lap and staring down into them. "One learns to see how certain actions might affect the world for the coming decades, or even centuries. I believe I would much prefer my longer life."

"I kinda see what you're sayin'," Daruk admitted with a scratch to his chin. "Thing is, though… what happens when we're all gone? When Urbosa, Revali, me, an' even the little guy are all gone you'll still have a lot of your life left to live, won't ya? I don't think I'd be able to put up with that, bein' the last one left."

Mipha would be lying to herself if she said she hadn't considered what she would do after Link's death. She cared for the Hylian Champion as though he were the closest member of her family, but what would that do for her when her adult life began with losing the love of her life? As foolish as it may have sounded, Mipha had accepted that reality long ago.

She knew just how meek she could be, and was well aware that taking risks was not at all like her in most instances. The young Zora also had no illusions about the magnitude of pain that her Hylian's death would cause her. Regardless, Mipha told herself that, if she were only ever going to take one risk in her life, then it would have to be allowing herself to love Link. Loss was a part of life, a part that Mipha knew would come to haunt her eventually in life no matter _what,_ she did. As such, she decided that having a soulmate and falling in love were not things to be stopped for the sake of saving herself from the pain of loss; that pain would find her regardless, so it was most certainly best for her to at least have happy moments of honest friendship, joy, and love to cherish whenever things began to look bleak.

"I understand that loss is a concept I will become quite familiar with over the course of my life," said the Zoran Princess slowly, trying to piece her words together in the correct fashion. "However… I would rather spend a small part of my life loving someone, rather than never love at all out of fear." Daruk gave a deep hum in response, and silence hung between the two Champions for a moment before Mipha continued. "What about you, Daruk?" 

"What about me?" 

"Yes. We Zora may outlive most of our companions… but Gorons are outlived by all others, are they not? Do you not wish that you could have more time with the people you care about, instead of having everything ripped away from you so quickly?" 

Daruk scratched his chest thoughtfully, chains clanking quietly in the stone chamber. Mipha had to readjust her seating on the bed's stone edge while the Goron Champion prepared his response, seeing how uncomfortable it was compared to her water bed. "I'm not gonna lie… I'm pretty sure _everyone'd_ like to have more time to spend with our closest friends an' family. The thing is, I think that's a pretty crummy way to go livin' through life." 

"How so?" asked the curious Zora, her head fins shaking behind her gently as she tilted her head to the side and looked up at the larger Champion. 

"It doesn't make sense tryin' to live a life while worryin' about how much time ya got left on this planet," said the rock-eater sagely, and Mipha got the impression that he'd given this matter a great deal of thought. "I don't care if ya live twenty years or a thousand, worryin' about how much time ya got left is the best way to waste it all. So long's you're happy with yourself, that's all that matters." 

Such a perspective baffled Mipha. She was quite certain that she would never be able to stand having a shorter lifespan, being the reserved and somewhat shy creature that she was. It had taken her long enough to muster up the courage to admit her feelings for Link to both herself and later the Hylian himself, but were she a Goron Mipha would be nearing the middle-end of her life. _It's just not enough,_ decided the Zora. _Only with a long life can someone truly accomplish all they desire in life… it's the only way one can have a fulfilled existence… right?_

"What if it takes someone a long while to be happy?" asked Mipha quietly, fidgeting with her silver jewelry before readjusting herself once again. "What if they… what if someone _needs_ a long life to muster up the courage to seize their dreams and aspirations?" 

Daruk shrugged, and he patted Mipha on the head fondly. The Zora girl winced a little from the Goron's strength, but she smiled at the reassuring gesture. "Oh, you're talkin' about you now?" he asked, and Mipha gave a meek nod in response. "You're afraid that if you had a Goron lifespan, you'd never've had the chance to confess to the little guy, right?" Mipha nodded, her amber eyes cast darkly at the floor. It ashamed her to admit that she wouldn't have been courageous enough to admit her feelings to Link… but it was true. She'd taken her sweet time stewing in fear, uncertainty, and longing before she'd ever even _considered_ telling him anything… much less working up the nerve to actually do it. 

"Well, I wouldn't worry 'bout it, Mipha." The Zora girl's brows knit together as she cast a glance up at Daruk, who was smiling back at her faintly. "Besides, I've got a feelin' that you'd probably have told him eventually, no matter how long you lived." 

"What makes you say that?" 

"It's because everythin's all relative," Daruk said with a sage nod. "With the life ya got right now, you're free to take as much time as ya want with expressin' yourself. If you'd been a Goron, I guarantee that ya would've said somethin' in time. That's just how all this works. You do what you can with what you got, and that's life." 

Mipha smiled down at her dangling feet, realizing the truth in her companion's words. Yes, it was important for one to strive for one's dreams and do all one could do before death. Yes, those with drawn out lifespans have more opportunities to fulfill their purposes. 

But Daruk told her it didn't matter. And Mipha couldn't agree more. 

"Thank you for humoring me, Daruk," said the Zoran healer gratefully, reaching a small hand over to gently rest on the Goron's. "I certainly feel much better." The amicable rock-eater smiled down at Mipha, and he nodded his head reverently, standing up as he did so. 

"It's no problem, Mipha," he said with a giant grin splitting his face from ear to ear. "Besides, the important thing to remember is this; y'know all the deep thinkin' we were doin', about what it means to live a long or short time and what you should do to fulfill yourself?" 

"Yes, of course." 

"The thing is, none of that really matters." 

Mipha frowned uncertainly. "Um…" That was not exactly the most reassuring thing the Goron could have said. Did he mean that he thought all of her concerns were meritless, and she was fretting over nothing? Or did he perhaps think—? 

"I don't mean anythin' bad by it, Mipha!" said Daruk with a short laugh, patting her on the head again. Amidst her minor confusion and worry, Mipha couldn't help but smile at the paternal gesture. _He really does act like a caring father to us all,_ she thought as she stood and returned the rock-eater's friendly grin. _I admire someone willing to take on the problems of others, and not expecting anything in return except their wellbeing._ "It's kinda like what I was goin' on about earlier, about how worryin' about your time is the best way to actually waste it. We've already got our lives that're worth livin'; the last thing we need, I think, is tryin' to worry about a life that doesn't even exist for us." 

"I understand, Daruk," Mipha said with a grateful nod of her head, linking her hands in front of her. "Thank you for your counsel, and for agreeing to help me in regard to Lady Urbosa and Master Revali." 

"It's my pleasure, Mipha! I've just got one other thing…" 

"Yes?" 

"I'm hungry. Wanna head over to the Sanctum and get some food?" 

Mipha laughed aloud and nodded. She turned to follow Daruk out of his room as he held open the massive wooden door for her. The Zoran healer supposed they'd made enough philosophical inquiries for one day, and she was more than happy to find something to eat. She be lying to herself if she'd claimed that she wasn't at the very least a bit peckish. 

/-\\-/-\\-/-\\-/-\ 

_"Our Princess Zelda requests that you eat with her this afternoon, in her study."_

Link wasn't sure what to make of the request that the royal guard had come to him with. 

As he walked out of Hyrule Castle and made his way towards the private alcove that the Princess used for her personal experiments and recreation, the Hylian Champion frowned in thought. Obviously, she wanted to talk about the meltdown she'd had in the very place she was summoning him to, days ago. He knew that Zelda was under pressure, and he deeply related to that, despite the fact that their respective duties happened to be nearly polar opposites of each other. As such, even in light of her ludicrous accusations, Link had made a strong effort to show that yes, people acknowledged the effort she put into fulfilling the near impossible tasks that had been set before her. Zelda had worked all her life, and he figured that the least he could do was provide some semblance of comfort. 

Having her cry in his arms, however, had _not_ been part of the plan. 

Everything about that interaction had felt very conflicted. Obviously, Zelda held quite a poor opinion of him, if her tirade against his good fortune was anything to go by. Link hadn't gotten angry because he was used to others feeling jealous, or envious, or disgusted at what might have been perceived as fortune to the outside eye. All the successes in his life seemed remarkably streamlined; be born with the Goddess' blessing, spend time with Zoran royalty as a boy, become the youngest Hylian knight ever, fall for the Zoran Princess from his childhood, have her reciprocate his feelings, draw the legendary sword that seals the darkness, be promoted to the Princess' personal guard. Cut, dried, the end. He was an undeserving child who'd yet to truly struggle for anything in his life, and any vitriol directed towards his fortune was well justified. 

That was what everyone believed, and they only believed that because Link made it a point to ensure that very few people actually knew the truth. Having others curse his non-existent fortune, he could handle. Not every person in Hyrule needed to know how hard he'd fought to be where he stood in that moment, at the outside of the Princess' personal study, invited to eat with her with the sword of legend strapped to his back. It only made everything more complicated. 

With a heavy sigh, Link bowed his head and closed his eyes for a moment, composing himself. He had absolutely no idea what the Princess really wanted from him. An apology? Forgiveness? Perhaps something entirely unrelated to the debacle of last week? _Only one way to find out…_

_KNOCK, KNOCK._

Link waited for a few seconds, looking around him and scanning the outside of the castle. He always thought the grand castle looked the most imposing in the daytime, with the sun giving the polished stone an ethereal glow. Glancing down, the Hylian Champion saw a gathering of Sheikah scientists preparing themselves, running in and out of the nearest doors with a bundle of papers clenched in each of their hands. Also, quite noticeably, there was a deactivated Guardian Stalker sitting there. Link found it strange, how lifeless and inanimate it looked when its circuits weren't glowing purple and its laser focus wasn't—. 

"Hello. You can come in." 

Link almost missed Zelda's terse greeting, and by the time he turned his head to look back at the now-open door, the Hylian girl had already retreated back inside her study. Sighing once more and composing himself, Link stepped inside. 

Zelda was already seated at her desk, having cleared it of her journal and pushed aside stray papers to the very edge. Now gracing the majority of the desk were two platters of rice balls. She had also set out a small stool for Link to sit on, which he stood next to obediently. If he was feeling more confident in himself, he'd have sat down, but losing what little sense of respect Zelda held towards him in that moment was not a risk Link was willing to take. He opted to wait for her permission, and it didn't take long for her to notice. The girl's eyes closed with a heavy sigh, and she waved her hand dismissively. 

"Take a seat, Link," she said, exhaustion weighing heavily on each word. "You may as well begin eating while you do so. I plan on speaking my mind, and doing so will take a decent amount of time." Reluctantly, Link took his seat, doing his best to keep an eye on the Princess that sat a yard away from him while also keeping his expression neutral. Zelda looked away from him, picking up her utensils and poking half-heartedly at her meal. Stress and tension beyond the girl's years etched deep lines into her countenance, and her eyes were distant and unfocused. 

"I want to speak with you about… well, several things, really." The young girl's voice wasn't lifeless quite so much as it was _resigned._ "To begin… I want to apologize for my conduct the last time we were in this study. It was wrong of me to fault _you_ for whatever issues Revali and Urbosa held between them. Still hold. I will admit I am not quite certain of their standing." Link nodded comprehensively, but decided to remain silent. 

"More than that…" Zelda, still refusing to look her knight in the eye, prodded at her meal half-heartedly. "I wish to apologize for my lack of empathy." Link, who'd just finished chewing a bite of his meal, swallowed and tilted his head at the Princess. 

"Empathy?" he asked quietly, not wanting to say more for risk of discouraging Zelda from speaking. The Hylian girl nodded, casting a glance towards Link. Her usually bright eyes were muted with heavy thought and troubled thoughts. 

"Part of the reason as to why I've held some… disdain towards you," she said, the tiniest bit of shame burning in the back of her throat, "is because I was led to believe that you had never struggled for your success." Link's brows furrowed, but Zelda pressed on. "I was—still am, if I am being honest—convinced that your Triforce, pulling the Master Sword, becoming a Royal Guard member and even your… relationship with Princess Mipha came at no cost to you." Link had anticipated much of what Zelda was telling him, but he hadn't imagined that his love for Mipha would have played into her contempt at all. 

"Meanwhile, I have struggled," said Zelda, water seeping into her voice, filling in the cracks left by her shame, "given everything I have towards unlocking the _one use_ I have for this kingdom. I have but one role to fulfill in order to protect the kingdom from the Calamity, and that is to seal Ganon away with my powers… but no matter how many nights I spend in prayer, or how many times I visit the statues and springs of the Goddesses, I've yet to receive anything for my toil. Nothing but shame from my father and failures in my experiments…" Zelda sighed quietly before turning in her seat to face Link. She met his curious stare evenly, her expression devoid of emotion and hands linked in her lap. 

"I do not expect your sympathy, despite what I have said…" said the Hylian royal quietly. "Rather, I was simply explaining the reason for my actions. If you…" Zelda paused for a minute and frowned, glancing down at the space between them for a moment before lifting her gaze again. "Could you tell me about your past, Link. I realize this is a significant request to ask of you, but I would… like to know you better." When he remained silent for a beat, her eyes widened a bit and her face developed a red tint. "I am not attempting to impose on the bonds you share with Lady Mipha!" she squeaked, waving her hands placatingly. "I simply hoped that it would perhaps make it easier for me to empath—." 

The Princess' ramblings stuttered to a stop as Link gently grabbed her hands, trying to convey his understanding through action before words. "I'm okay with sharing, Princess," Link said, voice still scraping against his under-used vocal chords. "I understand why you'd want to know." Smiling a little, Link leaned back in his chair and began his recollections. 

"You remember my father?" 

"Your…?" Zelda's eyes narrowed in confusion for a moment before the widened in memory. "Oh, he was a Royal Guard as well, was he not?" Link nodded, glad that she had been able to fill in the blanks he'd left. Talking came easier to him with the off-and-on use of his voice over the last week, but it still grated on his throat a tiny bit. _Probably a good idea to conserve my words._

"I was five when my father sent me to Zora's Domain," began the knight. "He and my mother remained in Castle Town. They'd already seen early signs of Ganon's return, and they sent me away to keep me safe from any… potential blast radii." Zelda's eyes narrowed the tiniest bit as her face softened in sympathy. 

"It must have been difficult," she remarked quietly, "having to live away from your parents when you were so young…" Link smiled ruefully, dismissing her concern with a wave. 

"They visited whenever they got the chance," Link said, not wanting her to get the wrong idea. "I missed them, but the rest my family was there for me whenever I needed them." 

"The rest of your family? You had relatives in Zora's Domain?" 

"Not exactly," Link said with a knowing smile. "I consider all the Zora to be my family. They took me in and treated me like one of their own. I made friends with Mipha and her brother Sidon pretty quickly, and the three of us practically did everything together. Life was good." 

"I see…" Zelda mused, her eyes thoughtful and bright. "So… you and Lady Mipha have loved each other since childhood…?" Link laughed good-naturedly, and he was glad to see that the tiniest trace of a grin flickered across Zelda's lips. 

"As siblings, I guess," he said, recalling how jumbled his emotions had been not so long ago. "We were pretty young; or at least _I_ was. Neither of us ever thought about that; we just knew we enjoyed each other's company." The Hylian knight chuckled to himself. 

"We did _everything_ together," he recalled fondly. "I suppose my favorite moments were when the three of us went hiking up Polymus Mountain. We'd spend all day trying to get to the top, exploring every nook and cranny of the canyon that there was to see." An almost bittersweet smile came across the young man's face. "Sometimes, Mipha and I would go back up a second time by ourselves, to get to all the places that Sidon couldn't. By the time we would get to the top _then,_ it was usually just around sunset or dusk. The Domain looks amazing that time of day; the Luminous stone shines while there's still the last bits of daylight out. We'd sit there for hours, enjoying the view and playing whatever games we could think of." 

"I see," Zelda muttered to herself, and Link didn't miss the pensive nature of her countenance. "I suppose things did go fairly well for you during your time in Zora's Domain." Link laughed at her response, and the Princess' eyes widened, apparently understanding how her statement must have sounded. 

"I understand," Link said with a humorous rasp. "Too perfect, isn't it? Well… if it's any consolation, the Goddesses thought so, too." The Hylian knight sighed quietly, turning his eyes downwards for the first time since he'd started regaling Zelda of his past. In all honesty, Link was rather taken aback by his sudden willingness to open up to Zelda, someone he'd never felt much of a personal connection with. Despite that, Link had realized that Zelda needed a connection; one that no one else had bothered to give her. 

Urbosa was a comforting and wise mother figure, and having such a relationship in the wake of losing her mother was obviously good for Zelda, but it wasn't personal enough. Urbosa had put in the effort, struggle, and dedication to be rewarded with leadership, respect, and unmatched skill. Zelda, on the other hand, had not received the same; instead, the poor girl only yielded the sour fruits of failure for her efforts. Holes had been poked into the Gerudo's best-laid plans, for certain, but they'd been patched over so many times to the point where Urbosa was able to move on with her life; Zelda had no such concessions to balance her perspective. 

Link needed to show her that success could come, even with gaping holes left in one's soul. 

"When I was…ten," Link recalled, taking a moment to steady himself and ensure he had the facts straight, "Zora's Domain was attacked. A whole swarm of Lizalfos, bigger than we'd ever seen, came in the middle of the night." Link, resting his forearms on his thighs as he sat, took a second to glance up at Zelda. Her eyes conveyed sympathy, and one of her hands had been brought up to her mouth in a gentle expression of horror. 

"Oh, no…" said the Princess softly, understanding coming over her face. "Did anyone…?" Link smiled bittersweetly. 

"No," he said, tone heavy and somber. "Not in the attack. We had guards on watch, so we could react. When news got to my parents about the attack, they rushed over to check on me…" Link closed his eyes and forced his voice to remain level. "… there was an ambush. Yiga Clan. They never stood a chance." 

The silence that permeated between the two Hylians spoke volumes more than any words could. 

"… and… what did you do after?" Zelda's inquiry was soft, but not out of a sense of caution; she spoke lowly because she understood what it meant to lose a parent, and the emotions that came with such a loss seemed to command a quietness. 

"I got sad. I got angry. I blamed myself." Link heaved a deep sigh and run a hand through his golden hair. "I kept telling myself that maybe there was something I could have done, maybe I should have tried to go to them instead of have them come to me…" 

"Let me guess," Zelda said, her respectful caution laced with a dash of bitter vitriol. "You learned how to move past it, and now your success is the result of all your failures giving you the drive to—." 

"No." 

Zelda's latent contempt tripped over itself and broke into a million pieces at hearing Link's denial. If the air weren't so emotionally charged, the knight might have cracked a small smile at the young Princess' shock. Instead, he met her gaze seriously, noticing how her eyes gleamed with moisture. 

"I never moved on," said Link, running a hand back through his golden hair. "I learned to accept it. The loss is a part of me now, and it won't ever go away." Zelda began to blink rapidly, and she quickly moved a sleeve up to her eyes in a discreet attempt to dry them. With the intimateness of their discussion, however, both of them noticed _everything_ about the other. "But you can lose almost everything and still win at life. If you learn to live with your pain, you can manage it. You'll never forget it… but you'll be able to grab a win here or there." Link paused for a moment to clear his throat, still a bit choppy from years of disuse. He held Zelda's stare for a moment, before leaning back in his chair with a somber sigh. 

"Loss and success aren't mutually exclusive," he said with a tired finality. "Sometimes you can't have one without the other." Link gauged Zelda's reaction to his words carefully. That was all he had in store for philosophical advice, so he sorely hoped that did the trick. If it didn't… Link didn't know how he'd be able to connect with Zelda. The poor girl was so consumed by the loss of her mother and compounding stress that she had closed herself off from the rest of the world, told herself that she was never enough for the task. Link needed her to know that she was enough, and that all she had to do was accept her sorrow. 

Zelda's face shifted from emotion to emotion fluidly: first a brisk confusion, which gave way to pensive sorrow before dissolving into mournful acceptance. She remained like so for a good deal of time; both of their meals forgotten, Link could do nothing but watch his Princess and hope she would see truth in his words. A full minute had passed, as had most of Link's hope of a positive outcome, when Zelda's face split into a tiny grin. The gesture was not of true joy or happiness. It was one of understanding, realization, and… relief. Zelda was finally relieved, and Link could tell how much of a weight she lifted off her shoulders as her small grin widened. The girl stood suddenly, her smile now much wider and her arms held in front of her. 

"You are certainly correct, Link," she said, her eyes shining as she walked over to the door of her study, resting a hand on the knob. "If you don't mind, I think it would be more than appropriate to show you a success of mine now. That is, if I am not being conceited." 

"You're not conceited," Link said as he stood, slinging the Master Sword's scabbard onto its place on his back. "You want to share your successes. I think you've earned that." 

Zelda smiled and opened the door, leading him to the bridge. 

/-\\-/-\\-/-\\-/-\ 

"Incredible. We're at a point now where we can actually control them. At the current rate, we'll soon know all we need to know about the Guardians and the Divine Beasts!" 

Zelda turned from her spot on the bridge's side to look at Link, an excited smile on her face. The Princess seemed to have taken her knight's words to heart, and that showed in her expression. Link could see the passion and joy that glowed in Zelda's eyes as she spoke about the Sheikah technology she'd so thoroughly studied. Despite the fact that one of the Guardians that sat in the courtyard below them had shot up a gatehouse earlier that month, it was still no less impressive that they could now control the amazing technologies. 

"And," Zelda said, straightening for a moment with pride, "should Ganon ever show itself again, we'll be well positioned to defend ourselves." Link prepared himself to smile, but a small movement out of the corner of his eye distracted him. 

"What are you doing out here, Zelda?" 

King Bosphoramus Hyrule strode towards his daughter and her knight, stopping a good distance away. Link, in keeping with his rank as a knight, knelt in the King's presence. He caught the King's stern look before he completely bowed his head, however, and out of the corner of his eye he could see Zelda's fists clench. 

"I…" Link could hear Zelda take a moment to steady herself, before moving in front of his to block his view of the King, and her face. "I was assessing the results of the experiments with the Guardians. These pieces of ancient technology could be quite useful against the—." 

"I know that," came the tired but firm voice of the King, and Link sensed that the conversation he was overhearing was not a new one. "They are essential to Hyrule's future, and our research demands that we keep a close eye on them." There was a small pause, during which Link could feel the tension rise a few notches. "However, as the Princess, you currently have a crucial unfulfilled responsibility to your kingdom." Another pause, during which Link heard a small, distressed exhale come from Zelda. 

"Let me ask you again," continued the King, expectant strength reverberating his voice. "When will you stop treating this as some sort of childish game?" Zelda fidgeted in place before her father, before taking a step forward to defend herself. Never before had Link felt such a compulsion to rise from his kneel to see what Zelda's undoubtedly distressed face looked like. 

"I'm doing everything I can," protested the Princess in a calm assertion that contrasted her uncertainty. The confidence Link had given her moments ago was warring with her insecurities about her father. "I'll have you know that I just recently returned from the Spring of Courage, where I offered every ounce of my prayers to the Goddess—." Zelda's statement had taken on an accusatory tone, and the King made sure to cut her off swiftly. 

"And now you are here wasting your time. You need to be dedicating every moment you have to your training. You must be single-minded in unlocking the power that will seal Calamity Ganon away." 

"I already am," Zelda said, her voice on the verge of erupting in an emotional outburst. "Don't you see—there's nothing more I can do! My hope is… my hope is that you—that you'll allow me to contribute here in any way I can." The Princess was desperate, and her broken soul was baring itself once again as she tried in vain to appeal to her father. 

"No more excuses, Zelda!" said the King sternly, Link fighting the ungodly compulsion to raise his head. "Stop running away from your duty. As the King, I forbid you to have anything to do with these machines from this moment on, and command you to focus on your training." The King paused from a moment, and Link could discern from the sound of footsteps that he had moved to the bridge's edge, likely to look over the Guardians. 

"Do you know how the gossip mongers refer to you?" Link's brow furrowed; that was a rather interesting concern, in light of the serious dilemma the entire kingdom faced. He was missing something… "They're out there right now, whispering amongst themselves… that you are the heir to a throne of nothing—nothing but failure. It is woven into your destiny that you prove them wrong." The air was silent for a moment except for the King's truing footsteps and the whirring of the Guardian experiments. "Do you understand?" 

"Yes." Zelda's reply was immediate, and her tears burned audibly in her voice. "I understand." Link kept his head down as he heard the King's footsteps retreat, not wanting to rise too early, but was surprised when he suddenly heard them halt at the end of the bridge. 

"… Perhaps I've misjudged your motivation, Zelda." The King's voice was louder now, which meant he'd turned back around to face his crushed daughter and her obedient knight. "I have been foolish, keeping you confined to the castle and to sacred springs, expecting you to understand what is truly at risk should you fail." There was a pensive silence, and Link could feel Zelda's tension from a few feet away. 

"I've decided that you and your Champions will embark on a journey," said the King strongly, and Link couldn't tell whether the Hylian royal had planned the tangent or if it was spontaneous. "You will visit each of the Champions' homelands, and meet with their leaders." 

"Why?" asked Zelda, curiosity and defiance creating an odd blend to her voice. 

"This journey will allow you to see just how important your training is," affirmed the King, "and will remind you of just how much this kingdom has to lose in the coming battle. You will meet citizens from all walks of life, and perhaps then you will be properly motivated to devote yourself to your training. If not for your sake or mine, the perhaps for theirs." 

A pause, which somehow seemed expectant, traveled the distance between father and daughter. 

"Yes. I understand." 

"That is indeed my goal, Zelda," said the King, a bit of exhaustion creeping ton his firm voice. "You'll journey to Lanayru first, towards Zora's Domain. Do not get distracted and be sure to arrive with all haste. You will leave first thing tomorrow morning." With that, the King took his leave for good, and Link waited until the armored steps of the King's guard faded from the echoing tunnels of Hyrule Castle before rising to take a glance at Zelda. 

The poor girl was teary-eyed, and her hands were clasped together above her chest. Her breath came in shuddering sputters, and Zelda raised her eyes for a second to meet Link's. He was just barely able to read the fear, uncertainty, and shame in her wide eyes before she whirled around and retreated into her study, closing the door behind her. 

Link sighed and turned back towards the Guardian testing, placing his hands on the terrace and sighing. He wouldn't go after Zelda; he'd already said all he could to her in one day. Despite his concern for Zelda, Link couldn't help but be excited about their new assignment to journey across Hyrule. Considering that their first stop was the Domain, essentially his childhood home, Link would be lying to himself if he said he wasn't ecstatic. 

Still… Zelda's internal toil was going to accompany them, as well as whatever in the Goddesses name was happening with Revali and Urbosa… One thing was certain to Link above all else; no matter what happened, no matter how many trials they faced, the Champions would defend Zelda with their dying breaths. She deserved as much. 

Despite his confidence, Link couldn't help but feel a pinprick of uncertainty grip him as the guardian in the courtyard turned its head to stare directly up at him. The Guardian's orange lights flickered purple for a moment, its head twitched, then it turned away from him. 

Only time would tell if any of them, Champions or Zelda, were ready to carry out the task that had been set before them. 


	11. What if This Hurts?

Castle Town was as alive as it had ever been the following evening, its paved roads thickly congested with the enthusiastic crowds that had arrived. Comprised of both native Hylians and visiting persons of other species, the thronging assembly of people had lined the streets of Castle Town to join in a sending-off ceremony for the five Champions and Princess Zelda. Men, women, and children of all ages and races had convened to celebrate the departure of Hyrule's greatest heroes on the most influential joint operation in the kingdom's history.

Finally, an exited ripple spread across the assembled crowd as the massive, ornate steel gates to Hyrule Castle opened wide, revealing the empowering statures of the Champions. The crowd's excitement came to an explosive head at the reveal, the loud roar of approval nearly shaking the Castle's foundations. Slowly, the five warriors and the future monarch moved along the path set for them by the crowd. Confidently they moved, united as one cohesive unit, and the whole of Castle Towns knew in its very soul that the Champions were Hyrule's greatest chance at victory. The five deities on earth and their sovereign stoically advanced through the town's congested streets, met with the enthusiastic cheers and roar of the crowd. It wasn't long before their journey truly began, and the group walked out of town together, exuding confidence and strength on their way to Zora's Domain. Castle Town, and indeed the entire kingdom, felt undeniably safe under the watch of its synergetic and not at all dysfunctional team of warriors. Every Hyrulean citizen the kingdom over was united under one, undeniable fact;

_Everyone is here._

/-\\-/-\\-/-\\-/-\

"If you ask me, we should have departed hours ago, not just before sundown."

"Thankfully, nobody _did_ ask you, so you also _should_ keep it to yourself."

Mipha sighed in a not-so-subtle fashion, shaking her finned head and readjusting her Lightscale Trident from the place that it was secured on her back. She'd expected that their trip to her homeland would result in some in-fighting between Urbosa and Revali; she'd actually been counting on it, as it would likely present perfect opportunities for her and Daruk to begin trying to bring the bickering pair together.

She just hadn't expected them to already be at each other's throats the second they stepped outside of Castle Town.

"That's not the only thing that should be kept quiet," came the composed voice of Zelda at the group began their long sojourn to Lanayru. The Hylian royal's tone was quite subdued, and Mipha felt a sympathetic sadness pang emptily in her chest. The night prior, Link had told Mipha that he'd had a conversation with Zelda in her study regarding her tantrum after the Guardian attack. He'd said that he had made headway into making amends between the two of them, when King Rhoam had arrived suddenly and nearly broken the young girl's spirit. It was obvious her father's words still hung darkly over her, and by effect the entire group. Urbosa, despite her being occupied jabbing with Revali, intercepted Zelda's subdued mood and walked towards her at the front of the group.

Mipha didn't fail to notice the scowl that slashed across the Rito's indignant beak as he was deftly ignored. She found it strange; despite often expressing his discontent at Urbosa's presence, Revali seemed to actively seek out interaction with the boisterous Gerudo swordswoman. And actually, now that Mipha took the time to think about it, Revali seemed to almost glow (albeit not always in a positive manner) whenever he engaged in a verbal spar with Urbosa. _I hesitate to call him a hypocrite, however_ , she thought to herself as they walked. _I get the impression that Revali simply does not know what to make of Urbosa… or what he feels for her._ Turing the issue over in her head for a few moments more, Mipha eventually decided to slow her pace the slightest bit and walk next to Revali at the back of the pack. This earned her a curious glance from Link, but thankfully the Hylian didn't press for answers, and instead kept walking. _I'll tell him about this later. Provided there's something to say, that is._

Mipha tore herself from her thoughts, deciding to analyze it later. The Zoran Princess then noticed that Urbosa had offered a comforting hand to Zelda, which the girl had accepted gratefully. As the pair continued, reassured by each other, Mipha smiled softly at the obvious display of affection between Gerudo and Hylian. It warmed her heart knowing that Urbosa had taken it upon herself to fill an empty but crucial role in Zelda's life, and it was wonderful to see how they both benefited from it. Zelda received reassurance whenever she began doubting herself, and Urbosa gained a humbling perspective by being confronted with sometimes unsolvable problems.

"I don't want to talk, Mipha."

The Zora jumped at hearing the blunt words fall out of Revali's mouth and land in a jumble at her still-moving feet. Trying to save face, Mipha pretended to not know what the Rito was alluding to. "I'm not entirely sure what you mean, Master R—."

She was cut off with a short but amused laugh. "Mipha, listen. You are an accomplished spearwoman, a distinguished magical healer, and most definitely caring to a fault. You are not, however, capable of being subtle to save your life." Mipha felt her face flush in spite of herself. _Royalty does not a politician make, so it seems._

"I suppose it was worth an attempt," she said as casually as possible, trying to ignore the obvious amusement scrawled across the Rito archer's face. "What gave me away?"

"Your timing is too perfect," said Revali without missing a beat, casting a quick glance down at her before resuming his glaring at the swaying red mane of Urbosa. "I start off on Urbosa again, and then the very first second after you magically appear, ready to delve into my personal life? A bit too convenient, I'd wager."

"Do you blame me for wanting to maintain some functionality between us all?" Mipha asked with the slightest bit of acid in her tone. "After all, it was just a week ago when you were holed up in the infirmary courtesy of a spat with Urbosa." Revali grunted in displeasure at being reminded of the most definitely unpleasant experience.

"Everything got so Farore-damn _confusing_ after that," murmured the Rito to no one in particular, and Mipha's mouth moved before she had a chance to think about what would come out of it.

"You mean the embrace you shared with Lady Urbosa?" she asked a bit less than innocently, unable to stop her scaly lips from moving. "I rather think everything should have become simpler after that." Regret instantly washed over the Zoran healer as she realized just how much she'd divulged. _Oh no…_

"You _saw_ that?" hissed Revali, and Mipha let out a quiet yelp of surprise as his wing roughly gripped her forearm. Zoran and Rito eyes met briefly; panicked jade meeting concerned amber. Despite being a creature of the water, Mipha felt her throat dry up in record time, nervous that she may have just overstepped her bounds before their journey had even truly begun. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a concerned Link glance back; perhaps against better judgement, Mipha shook her head at him slowly, implying that everything was fine. _It most definitely isn't fine,_ Mipha thought as her childhood friend turned his head forward with no small amount of reluctance, _but I need to deal with this by myself._

"Yes," Mipha said with a hint of steel in her voice. "I did. And I also took note of your reaction." Revali's rage quickly faded into defensive panic, and the pressure on her forearm vanished just as quickly. Mipha noticed how the off-put Rito cast a cautious glance at the rest of their group: Daruk at the front of the party, scaring off anything stupid enough to threaten them, Zelda and Urbosa just behind, talking softly with Link lingering steps behind the pair of women, trying in vain to keep a watchful eye on both Zelda and Mipha. Only once Revali was certain no one else was paying them their full attention did he attempt to defend himself.

"My reaction meant ,em>nothing but surprise on my part," growled the Rito, his wingtips clenching in repressed anger. "Besides, you had _no_ right to be snooping around in my business, trying to watch all my private conversations. I thought you were supposed to be the moral superior here." Mipha's brows furrowed in annoyance; she never took it too kindly when her efforts to help were met with resistance. _Never mind that he actually has a point and that I_ did _infringe upon his privacy. I'm trying to help him, so at the very least he should hear me out!_

"For the love of Nayru, Revali!" Mipha said, fixing the Rito with a steady glare. "I gained the right to interfere when you were struck down by a bolt of Gerudo lightning! Had I not interfered, there is every chance you would still be recovering in an infirmary bed."

"You fixed my injuries, righted that wrong," Revali admitted with a scoff, "but sticking around to snoop on what was supposed to be a private conversation is not in the job description of a healer, last time I checked."

"Perhaps not," Mipha admitted dismissively, struggling to keep her voice muted lest the rest of their companions catch on to the argument that was set to erupt behind them. "However, as a friend, I have every right to—."

"To _what,_ Mipha?" snaps Revali, anger now so far developed that his voice raises, and the entire party stops in its tracks. All eyes were trained on Revali, but for once it seemed the Rito didn't care. "To invade my privacy? To question my every move? To deny everything I say in favor of you own ill-begotten theories?" Deadly silence permeated through the Champions, both silent and lethal as the indignant Rito stared down the ashamed Zora. Mipha now realized that she had, in her near-relentless pursuit of reforming Revali, effectively blinded herself to how forward she was being. She mentally berated herself for not realizing how pushy she had been towards Revali, and how little that would actually help the situation. As such, she had no answer for the Rito marksman, whose rage had receded just enough for him to realize that the five other members of their party were staring straight at him. There was a tense silence during which Revali remained frozen in place: wings clenched, beak torn open in a scowl, smoldering emerald eyes jumping between Urbosa, Link, and Mipha. Eventually, the silence broke him.

"I'm going to scout ahead," Revali spat, making it obvious to all that it was the last thing he wanted to do at the moment, but was the only option that offered him an escape from the ten eyes that pinned him down. The Rito marksbird cast a cold glare towards Mipha, who flinched under the frigid scrutiny of his eyes. "Unless you'd like to come along to do some more spying?" The Zoran Princess felt her face burn in shame as six eyes shifted from Revali to her: one pair a curious jade, the other a concerned sky-blue, the last a confounded icy cyan. Her lack of response drew another scoff from Revali, who wordlessly summoned one of his signature updrafts and flew into the sky at a nearly breakneck pace. It wasn't long before the troubled Rito was nothing but a black speck against the blinding backdrop of the late afternoon sun and cloudless sky.

Silence, during which all remaining eyes shifted from the fading speck to the flushed Zora, who averted her gaze to the ground, shame burning in her veins and shining on her face. Wordlessly, she continued walking forward, ignoring the prying stares that fell on her. As she made to pass Link, she felt his hand gently latch onto her elbow, softly jerking her to a stop. She shifted her moist amber eyes to her right, looking her favorite Hylian straight in his concerned face.

"What happened?" he asked quietly, just loud enough for her to hear, and Mipha took a small amount of consolation from the audible concern in Link's voice. Despite that, Mipha had to blink several times and clear her throat for a moment to compose herself.

"I…" Mipha's voice was shaky at best, and bogged down with damp emotion. The repercussions of what had just happened were beginning to hit her hard; all the progress she'd made with Revali in the infirmary was at risk simply because her curiosity had gotten the best of her. She wasn't being self-depreciating solely to have someone to blame; Mipha knew that Revali's inability to accept outside help unless necessary played a huge part in his latest tantrum. That still didn't change the fact that Mipha had been the one to set him off in the first place. "I failed, Link," she murmured quietly, tugging her arm out of his grip gently. "I had the opportunity to make things better, and I ended up making them worse."

Link seemed unsure of what to do, but Mipha was grateful that he simply decided to rest a comforting hand on her shoulder in a subtle act of compassion. She glanced up to meet his eyes and smiled at seeing the care in them. The sweet moment was abruptly punctured by Urbosa.

"What was Revali going on about?" asked the Gerudo, suspicion lacing her tone. "About you 'invading his privacy' and whatnot?" Wincing internally, it took Mipha a few seconds to gather enough courage to face Urbosa, knowing that she was likely in for a scolding.

"I… may have listened in on your discussion in the infirmary," admitted Mipha shyly. "And I also saw… well…" Urbosa seemed to understand, her eyes narrowing a bit and one of her hands slipping to her cocked-out waist. Daruk and Link's faces also cleared of confusion, seeing as how they both knew what Mipha was alluding to. Zelda, on the other hand, had no idea what was going on.

"What did you see, Mipha?" asked the Hylian Princess, but her words were ignored by the Zora was Urbosa spoke up again.

"While I don't commend your sneaking around," said the Gerudo in a surprisingly neutral tone, although her jade eyes were harsh. Her full blue lips were pursed in a thin line, "I understand your motives, Mipha. Your concern is appreciated, but please do not try to make something out of nothing. Neither Revali nor I fully understand what our actions in the infirmary meant. Namely _my_ actions." Mipha nodded comprehendingly, a small reassured smile slipping its way onto her face.

"Thank you for your understanding, Lady Urbosa," Mipha said gratefully, and her smile grew as she felt Link's hand grip her just a bit more securely. "I just… want everyone to get along, is all. I suppose I was reading a bit too much into what I saw…"

"What are you talking about?" Zelda asked, irritation beginning to seep into her words. "What happened in the infirmary?"

Urbosa sighed to herself, and turned her head to glance at the dipping sun in the direction Revali had flown. "I need to go after him. That idiot is probably going to hurt himself in his anger."

"Why you?" asked Daruk, glad that he was finally able to put his own two cents into the conversation. "If we're worried about him gettin' hurt, why not send Mipha? She'd fix him up in a jiff."

"He just stormed off for a nice bit of 'scouting' because of Mipha," countered the Gerudo, casting a sympathetic glance over to the Zora, who nodded understandingly. "Sending her isn't likely to yield any desirable diplomatic results."

"So, why's it still gotta be you?" asked Daruk, scratching his chin thoughtfully. "I mean, I'd be okay with it 'n all, but I'm kinda wonderin' why you're so dead-set on makin' sure that _you're_ the one to go after him." Mipha's smile broadened into a full-on grin as she realized what the Goron was doing. He was playing Devil's Advocate to coax information out of Urbosa regarding Revali. _Brilliant, Daruk,_ though Mipha as she sent the Goron a healthy wink. _Absolutely brilliant._

"Clearly all of you are withholding information from me," Zelda said testily, crossing her arms as she glared at each of her remaining four Champions. "I demand that you all tell me what—."

"Revali won't listen to any of you," Urbosa said, ignoring the Hylian Princess yet again, coxing an irritated huff from the young girl. "He hardly listens to _me_ as it is."

"So…" Another Goron chin scratch. "Why're you the best choice again?"

"I've got a better track record with him than the rest of you."

"You zapped him with a bolt of lightnin'."

"Irrelevant!"

Daruk sighed, scratching his head pensively once again. "Well… you gonna go after Revali, then?" Mipha had to feign a coughing fit to hide her sudden burst of giggles. _Well, that went from subtle to blatant provocation in no time at all!_ she thought as she saw Urbosa raise a curious eyebrow, obviously suspicious but also uncertain of what she was being suspicious of. _I suppose that neither Daruk nor I are capable of shadowing our intentions just yet._

Despite the forwardness of the inquiry, Urbosa seemed to consider her options at face value, without delivering a pithy response for once. This surprised Mipha a bit. Instead of the typical boisterous Gerudo banter she'd expected, Urbosa was seriously considering the correct choice of action. _It means she cares, at least on a very basic level,_ reasoned Mipha. _Going to help a colleague may be typical and not matter at all when involving anyone else in the kingdom of Hyrule, but this is Urbosa and Revali. With these two,_ everything _matters._

The scrutinized Gerudo warrior took a second to draw her Scimitar of the Seven, turning the dangerously beautiful blade over in her hand, then spared another few moments to secure her scarlet hair and slip Daybreaker into her other fist. Mipha watched as Urbosa's eyes flickered from her blade to the horizon, where the orange sun touched the earth and dealt a mercilessly gorgeous slash of crimson in the sky. The fading sunlight reflected off the Gerudo's intense jade stare, masking her eyes in an empty, almost miserable facade of black. _It looks as if Urbosa doesn't want to run after Revali with every fiber of her being,_ Mipha thought as she analyzed the backlit, pensive Gerudo. _She wants to forget about Revali's childishness, to ignore what happened in the infirmary, and to not care about his well-being at all._

_But she can't._

"Damn you, Revali." These were the only three words Urbosa could think to murmur before dashing off in a breakneck sprint, headed towards the direction Revali had gone when he'd stormed off. Mipha watched with a satisfied smile, and she allowed herself to lean back against Link, letting him slip an arm around her waist as Urbosa literally ran off into the (nearly) setting sun. Glancing to Daruk for a second, she gives him a satisfied wink, which prompts an equally-enthused grin in response.

_I'm quite the hopeless romantic, aren't I?_ Mipha thought with a smile as the group continued to walk onward, albeit at a slightly brisker pace. _I suppose it's not the worst thing to be, at the end of the day._

"FOR THE LOVE OF HYLIA, WILL SOMEONE PLEASE TELL ME WHAT IN DIN'S NAME IS GOING ON?!"

/-\\-/-\\-/-\\-/-\

Flying for a few minutes was usually enough to vent the negative emotion from any Rito; for them, it was a deeply spiritual use of their skill, heritage, and natural abilities. Flying served every purpose from stress-relief, to combat, to transportation, to a declaration of love. Revali found no such solace in the bloodstained Hyrulean sky that evening as he rode the fading trail of the updraft he'd summoned to escape the relentless staring of his fellow Champions. The wind bit and tore at the archer's feathers and clothing as though it were trying to slow him down, to stop him from going any further, but nature would not be able to stop him no matter how hard it tried.

_How dare she,_ thought Revali through his haze of rage. _I don't care if she claimed she was my friend. Claiming to be close to me doesn't give her the right to stick her aquatic nose in my business whenever it pleases her._ Friendship was not something that the Rito took lightly, and Revali was a more severe example of this trait even by Rito standards. Becoming a friend meant fostering trust, not having _one_ polite conversation in an infirmary. Friendship was something to be earned; a coveted reward reserved for a select few that proved they truly wanted to form an amicable bond. Calling Mipha and Revali _friends_ was stretching the archer's version of reality far enough; the Zora then showing the nerve to go back on that supposed friendship was enough to set him off, perhaps for good.

If there was anything Revali hated more than anything else, it was hypocrisy. Compromising one's principles on a whim was, in his eyes, one of the most egregious acts a person could commit. If one couldn't stand for what they believed in, then what _could_ they stand for? How could someone ever be trusted if they were willing to go back on not just their own word, but also their principles and morals?

His current state of contempt was amplified by the fact that _Mipha_ had been the one to go behind his back. As far as the rest of his fellow Champions went, the Zora youth had been ranked a few notches higher on his respect-scale (he wasn't even going to try and rank Urbosa; the woman was far too volatile). Especially when compared to the eternally intrusive Goron brute and the Goddess-blessed Hylian warrior-wannabe, Mipha's composure was something Revali grudgingly respected. Add to that her conduct in the infirmary _before_ she'd left, and the Zoran royal had built her appearance to reflect a compassionate, determined person who could also hold her own in a fight. Mipha had preached her morals to him—do something for others, and they would do something for you—and Revali had chosen to _listen._ He'd trusted her enough to actually take her advice into serious consideration as something he might actually end up doing. Then, it turns out, just after Mipha had gone off on him for being childish and petty, she'd decided to spy on him and Urbosa.

_Face it,_ nagged a tiny voice in the back of Revali's mind as his rage-induced flight continued. _You're not angry with Mipha because she spied._

_Really?_ he snapped to the voice of doubt. _Then what am I, if not angry?_

_You're afraid because she saw you hug Urbosa._

"NO!" denied Revali aloud, tilting his wings back to halt his flight and hover in place. _No, I am NOT afraid,_ Revali told himself. _I don't care about Urbosa, or what she did to me. This is completely about Mipha violating her moral principles, and nothing more._

His defiant subconscious didn't have an answer for him, but that didn't reassure the Rito in the slightest.

Revali shook his head as he hovered in the stratosphere, white-hot anger fading bit by bit in favor of cold rage and frosty denial. The last thing he needed was to waste valuable time and mental energy fretting about Urbosa's dubious motives. All that mattered was that she had admitted her admiration of him, so he could push anything else that came out of her mouth to the side and move on with the rest of his life.

_Except it isn't that simple,_ interjected his unbidden subconscious mind. _She's different than everyone else, and that terrifies you._

_Everyone's different._

_She's different-different, and you know it._

_Yes, fine, she is different; she's three times as annoying and twice as persistent as anyone I've ever met when it comes to making me miserable._

Mental silence again. Revali huffed in combined annoyance and indignance at his inner predicament. _It's gotten to the point where my own mind is starting to question my motives,_ thought the Rito to himself scanning the ground under him as he looked to continue flying. He was tired of arguing with himself about dubious and intangible things that he'd never get explanations for. He needed to shoot something.

It wasn't long before the Rito's sharp eye caught a tendril of smoke curling up from the valley below him. A quick analysis of the misshapen wooden structure that he was hovering over told the archer that it was a slipshod bokoblin camp. Doing his best to clear his mind of all the unpleasantness of Mipha's betrayal and Urbosa's antics, Revali unslung his Great Eagle Bow and dropped it, catching it in his talons before it could plummet earthward. Reaching into the quiver he'd been given by Urbosa _(stop thinking about her),_ he pulled out a trio of bomb arrows. The Rito bent backwards and flipped into a dive, beak pointed earthward and bomb fuses sizzling as he gracefully shifted his bow to his wings, drawing the bowstring taut. Revali's natural inclination of archery drew a perfect line of sight down his arrows to the supporting trunk of the boko structure.

A confident grin split Revali's face as the monster camp rushed towards him. _Finally. A problem I can actually deal with._

/-\\-/-\\-/-\\-/-\

_It's official. I hate him. He's an unbearable, insensitive, childish idiot._

As often as those words looped in Urbosa's head, it didn't change the fact that she was running at a breakneck pace with her weapons drawn to chase after the Rito she claimed to despise so much. It didn't change the fact that she'd left behind Zelda, whom she had been in the middle of comforting, to do the aforementioned. And it _definitely_ didn't change the fact that she was thinking about it for much longer than she had any right to.

The Gerudo's secured crimson hair trailed chaotically behind her as she ran, her shoes relentlessly pounding into the paved path as though it had done her a personal wrong. Urbosa acknowledged that it was a little concerning that she had run off after Revali with no clear-cut way to track him. She tried to justify her admittedly irrational decision by telling herself that she was doing it for the good of Hyrule. If Revali somehow managed to hurt himself while he was off pouting on his temper tantrum, there would be no one to pilot one of the Divine Beasts that were necessary to defeat Calamity Ganon.

_One would think I'd stop trying to rationalize and start actually concentrating on finding Revali,_ she thought to herself as she ran. Up ahead, she saw a bend in the road that could be skipped if she plowed on through a tree line. Not wanting to delay herself any further, the Gerudo warrior cut through the foliage.

_I shouldn't have hugged him,_ Urbosa told herself as she sliced away some branches that intruded her path with her scimitar. _All it did was make everything complicated. For all parties involved. If I'd just kept a lid on myself, I wouldn't be confused, Mipha would have had nothing to spy on us about, Revali wouldn't have thrown a tantrum…_

_… and I wouldn't have enjoyed it._

That was probably the part about her entire situation that bugged Urbosa the most; the fact that, despite all the anger, despite all the teasing, despite the massive incident of assault-by-lightning-bolt, she had found herself enjoying her embrace with the Rito. It had given her an oddly filling sense of satisfaction, when she'd approached Revali and wrapped him in her arms. Seeing him vulnerable had somehow managed to change her perception of him in an instant, if only for that brief moment. It made her feel as though her efforts actually _meant_ something; as though she was having a meaningful impact on the world, and changing things for the better.

Urbosa wasn't stupid. She knew that their chances against Calamity Ganon were slim at best, considering the fact that Zelda had yet to figure out how to unlock her sealing power and that the Champions hadn't even attempted to work together as a functional and competent unit. That bled into her self-judgement the slightest bit, leaving her with an ever-present feeling that nothing she was doing would ever matter in the grand scheme of things. It was Gerudo nature to be loud, present, confident, and influential in everything they did. Urbosa would never be satisfied as a footnote in history, as just some vague character kept in the background that ultimately did nothing that truly mattered. Not to say she detested Link's position as de-facto leader of the Champions, quite the opposite in fact, but the Gerudo did everything she could to make herself… relevant. Childish and irrational? Certainly, and she knew that.

It didn't make fading away into nothingness any less terrifying.

At that moment, the earth rumbled beneath Urbosa's feet, causing her to stumble on the path she'd taken and nearly fall on her face. Just as she managed to save herself from an embarrassing faceplant, an orange blossom of fire bloomed in the distance, over the next hill she was about to scale. Upon listening closer, Urbosa could hear the wailing squeals of bokoblins amidst the raging blood-red inferno that stood out against the orange/purple dusk sky. Any doubts at what could have caused such spontaneous destruction was allayed when she saw a small blue figure shoot back up into the sky, riding a gust of wind that hadn't been there the moment before.

Urbosa ran after him without second thought.

/-\\-/-\\-/-\\-/-\

_fwish~THUNK_

_fwish~FWOOM_

_fwish~BZZZT_

Arrow after arrow flew from Revali's Great Eagle Bow, the variety swapping with each direction he turned. A trio of bomb arrows to the camp's core had caused a complete structural collapse, trapping at least two bokoblins under the flaming shards of wood by Revali's guesses. The other bokoblins and the two moblins that had been patrolling the base of the camp immediately recognized him and sounded horns to alert whoever _hadn't_ been woken up by the blast. Revali swiftly called up a gathering of fire arrows to take out a clump of bokoblins directly below him, then swooped down to an altitude of about ten yards to pick off a lone boko with a single shock arrow.

The Rito felt his anger begin to fade with every consecutive shot, with every consecutive kill. The repetition and familiarity of archery was reassuring to him, and it made it easier to revel in his success rather than relive his failures. A few more rounds of standard arrows later, and the entire ground was cleared of monsters. Movement out of the upper corner of his peripheral vision triggered an automatic response, and Revali dropped the remaining distance to the ground and loosed a single ice arrow. A bokoblin had been trying to scale the most pathetic-looking watchtower Revali had ever seen, and his latest shot froze the malicious leader mid-climb, leaving it frozen on the tower's ladder. Confusion elapsed Revali's face as he realized the boko hadn't been carrying a bow.

_If it wasn't trying to climb the tower to get a better shot at me,_ he wondered, _then what in the world was it trying to do?_

"Revali!"

The Rito drew an arrow, knocked it, and fired it in the direction of the noise before his brain had time to process that the voice was a noise and, perhaps more importantly, who that voice belonged to.

_Urbosa._

Panic crushed Revali's chest the moment he recognized the Gerudo warrior running at him. Not because he was concerned for her safety, of course ( _yeah, right,_ scoffed his nagging subconscious), but only because he knew he'd never hear the end of it from Mipha if he'd accidentally killed Urbosa.

Thankfully, the swordswoman in question had two crucial components that saved her life; a shield, and reflexes faster than a Lizalfos' twitch. In a movement that was deceptively natural and effortless, Urbosa raised her shield in time with her stride to deflect the arrow. Relief was quick to flood Revali's body.

_You're actually pretty pathetic when it comes to her, you know that?_

_Shut up. I'm not talking to myself—or you— anymore._

_That makes sense. Otherwise, I'd think you were going insane._

"Get down!" Revali's physical relief and mental reprieve proved to be short lived as Urbosa dropped both her weapons and lunged at him. Before he had any chance to react, the Gerudo threw herself at his midsection and sent them both tumbling to the charred ground. Urbosa used his surprise against him and managed to pin him down on his back with her entire body, her pointed nose but an inch from his beak. The Rito's surprise faded almost immediately, and the residual rage he still harbored towards Mipha was spewed approximately one inch upwards.

"What in Farore's name are you doing, woman?!" he yelled, hyperaware of how she'd somehow managed to pin all his limbs with her own in fractions of a second. "Are you out of—?"

_BOOOOOOOM_

Revali's complaint was cut off as his vision went white, and he momentarily lost his senses. When they returned, the first thing he noticed was that his ears were ringing nonstop, and he was still on his back. Despite his disorientation, he managed to get a glimpse at the top of the watchtower just in time to see a bokoblin celebrate without paying attention and accidentally fall to its doom. It occurred to him that, in his haze of anger, he'd forgotten to check the top of the watchtower for the bomb barrel that most bokos seemed fond of using as projectiles on intruders; being distracted by Urbosa had given it the opening it needed. _Idiot. She almost got me killed._

It was then that the Rito realized that there was no longer a Gerudo chieftess pinning him to the ground, nor was there a pointy nose nearly being jabbed into his eye. Revali tried to get his wings and elbows to prop his torso up, but a shooting pain in his right shoulder coaxed an involuntary yelp out of him as he fell back into the dirt. Revali closed his eyes to focus on dealing with the sudden sensation equivalent to a Lynel nibbling on his shoulder. When he opened them again, he was met with the critical visage of Urbosa crouching over him. She wordlessly used a firm hand to keep his left shoulder pinned to the earth as he yelped, and he grunted in discomfort when she shifted a knee to keep his right wing steady.

"You dislocated your shoulder," she said, moving her other knee on his left shoulder to replace her hand, effectively half-straddling him. "I need to pop it back in place." To hide his sudden flush of self-consciousness, Revali jumped to his most reliable (and possibly _only)_ fallback; annoyance.

"That may have been because _you_ tackled me, you insane—."

"Shut up," Urbosa said matter-of-factly, and Revali's anger dissipated almost as quickly as it had been summoned. Her tone wasn't annoyed, nor concerned; instead, the Gerudo who was trying to force medical assistance on him sounded resigned, as though she were being compelled by an unseen, impossible-to-name force. _Story of my life, frankly._ "It was a bomb barrel, not me. Brace yourself." Revali panicked at feeling her hand secure his injured shoulder, biting back the pain to try and delay her.

"Wait," he panted, suddenly at a loss for breath, "can't Mipha do this?"

"Yes," Urbosa said simply, finally deciding to meet his worried stare. Revali was surprised to see the same resignation that had been in her tone bleed into her jade irises. "Unfortunately, she's not here at the moment. You'll be in perpetual pain unless I do this now."

"Wait!" yelped Revali again, and he was surprised that the Gerudo swordswoman that held him down actually listened to him. _Did not expect that, I'll admit._ As such, Revali babbled the first thing that came to mind. "What if this hurts? What if it really hurts? I, um, I hadn't thought of that." The tiniest semblance of a grin split Urbosa's lips for a moment at his desperate words before it faded back into her serious and resigned countenance.

"Oh, it will," she said casually, securing her hands again and prompting another jolt of panic in her unwilling Rito patient. "Believe me, it will."

"Are you just saying that, or is it really going to hurt?" he asked, gulping rather loudly as he stared at her stone-faced expression. The adrenaline from his injuries as well as the sensation of being restrained pushed Revali's panic further and causing him to babble. "You're just saying that, aren't you? No, you're not. It is going to hurt, isn't it? Exactly how painful are we—AAAAAAAAARGH!" Urbosa popped his wounded shoulder back into place while he was talking, cutting off his panicked blubbering with a cry of agony. Thankfully, the pain receded quickly and Urbosa moved off him, allowing the Rito to sit up to face her. He glared at the analytical stare that the Gerudo fixed him with, and he rolled his wing around to alleviate some of the soreness as a distraction.

"Was that really necessary?" he asked in a voice that was much calmer than he thought it would be. "I'm fairly certain that Mipha would have caught up eventually, even if you did get here first."

"They wouldn't have come in time." Urbosa met his glance evenly, obviously trying to get a read on his reaction. Revali did his best to hide his surprise as a result. _The last thing I need is to give her anything_ else _to scrutinize._ "We discussed for a moment, interrogated Mipha about why you ran off the way you did. At the end of it, everyone decided to walk. I was the only one who decided to run."

Revali felt the surprise and annoyance drain out of him, leaving a cold and damp void in its place. He scowled and did his best to meet Urbosa's stare without wavering. "And what do you expect me to say to that? Are you searching for gratitude? Perhaps as a way to end our squabbling?" Urbosa sighed and shook her head, finally sitting down all the way beside Revali, legs curled away from him. Her jade eyes slid over to glance at him, then redirected themselves towards the path she'd come from.

"I didn't want anything from you, I suppose," she said, and the uncertain waver to her tone drew a glance from Revali. However, in doing so, he finally noticed something odd; Urbosa had an elongated, thin, twisted piece of metal shrapnel protruding through her left arm. Shockingly, she didn't seem to be fazed by it.

"Urbosa," he said cautiously, his emerald eyes drawn to the Gerudo's injured arm. "Do you not notice the massive strip of twisted metal that's protruding out of your arm?" The Gerudo warrior knit her brows in confusion, but her eyes widened in genuine surprise at seeing the corrugated metal make its home in her biceps.

"Interesting," Urbosa said, true concern completely absent from her tone. She turned her arm over, eyeing her injury without so much as wincing once. Revali watched her for a few moments of silence longer before speaking up again.

"Does this... not concern you?"

"What are you talking about?" Urbosa asked, shifting her attention from her injury to glance at the Rito that sat next to her. "Obviously this is concerning. I have metal in my arm, for Dinsake." The Gerudo Champion's lips twitched in a momentary grin before she continued. "Why? You weren't concerned for _me_ by any chance, were you?"

"Of course not," rebutted Revali, quick to cross his arms and scowl. "All I'm saying is that screaming in pain, or at least showing _surprise,_ is usually the reaction sane people have to this situation. Since you're being quite blasé about this whole affair, I can only assume that you _aren't—."_

"Panicking is not exactly the most helpful course of action in this scenario," Urbosa responded candidly, raising an eyebrow. "Although, if it's such a powerful statement against my sanity, I could dissolve into tears to prove my mental health." Revali growled, but was disappointed to find that no pithy remark rose to the tip of his tongue. Urbosa noticed his lack of a response and laughed in that heartily annoying way that was typical of her, which didn't help Revali's mood in the slightest.

"Relax, Revali, I'll be fine," Urbosa said, mirth still tingling at the tip of her tongue. "If you're so concerned over my well-being, why not aid me in removing it?"

"Removing it," Revali said in plain disbelief. "You do realize that leaving a gaping hole in your upper arm is likely to cause you to bleed out and die? Not that I have a problem with that. I'm simply informing you of your lunacy."

"Your devotion to my health and well-being is astounding, Revali," Urbosa said dryly, the corners of her mouth quirked up in an amused smirk, despite the injury she'd sustained. "The fact still remains that I need to get this out of my arm. The adrenaline is wearing off, and this is going to wreak havoc with my arm if it isn't removed."

"And Mipha isn't better certified to do this?"

"Perhaps," admitted the Gerudo, "but I'd rather have it out before Mipha arrives with the others and scolds me for being irresponsible."

"Irresponsible? You?" asked Revali in mock surprise, standing to his feet and glowering down at Urbosa. "Perish the thought."

"Hilarious," said Urbosa with an amused snort, deciding to stand as well and slip a hand to her hip, despite the metal strip that protruded from it. "Now, are you going to assist me or not?"

"You aren't capable of fixing your own injury?" asked Revali skeptically. His doubt was met with an irritated eyeroll from the Gerudo.

"Perhaps I should lance _your_ arm with rusty shrapnel and see if you feel like tearing it out by yourself," suggested the injured Urbosa with a frown. "This needs a steady hand to work, and my hand certainly will not be steady with the pain of jagged steel dragging against my muscles. Do it, Revali." Frowning, Revali searched for a reason to refuse Urbosa's request but, disappointingly, he was scarce to find any justifiable complaint. He would be in better standing with her, it would allow him to revel in the admission that she needed his assistance, and she was practically giving him free reign to hurt her (just a bit).

"You'll still bleed out, I feel obliged to mention," he eventually supplied, crossing his arms and scoffing in an attempt to convince himself that he shouldn't oblige. Urbosa rolled her eyes in response.

"That's why they invented tourniquets, my feathery friend," pointed out the Gerudo, tilting her head curiously as she gave Revali's form a brief once over. "That ribbon I gave you should do wonderfully." Revali's brows furrowed in confusion at her rather odd choice.

"Why does it have to be _my_ clothing?"

"You'd be hard pressed to find acceptable tourniquet material on _my_ person, unless you want me to remove my Champion's skirt," said Urbosa candidly, giving a short laugh of amusement. Revali did his best to not imagine the repercussions of Urbosa's suggestion, doing his best to suppress any reaction the Gerudo could prey upon. "Besides," continued the injured swordswoman, "The author wanted to insert ham-fisted symbolism of our developing relationship while also providing me with an opportunity to break the fourth wall, which he's wanted to do since chapter two."

"What?"

Urbosa sighed and hung her head in exhaustion. "The blood loss must be getting to me already, for me to be sprouting off such insanity," she said tiredly, deflecting away from the bit of lazy writing that no one thought was clever except the author. Raising her head a bit and fixing Revali with an uncharacteristically somber stare, Urbosa extended her arm to the confounded Rito. "Just do it already, Revali. All you have to do is wrap the ribbon and tug. It's that simple."

Scowling, the Rito huffed and walked over to retrieve his Great Eagle Bow, which was thankfully spared from harm during the blast. He untied the blue nightshade ribbon as he walked back over to Urbosa, who removed the shoulder guard on her left arm to allow him better access. Wordlessly, Revali wound the scented cloth around the Gerudo's forearm above the injury, doing his best to not concentrate on anything but his task.

"You'll have to tighten that if you want it to work," Urbosa commented passively, and Revali growled under his breath and tightened the ribbon with excessive strength to prove a point. He was disappointed again when Urbosa failed to flinch. Once the tourniquet was secured, Revali wrapped both his wings around the top portion of the metal shrapnel. Revali took a breath to steady himself, and prepared to jerk the intrusive piece of metal out—."

"Wait."

Revali flinched, but managed to restrain himself from pulling up on the metal. Glowering at the Gerudo, who didn't seem concerned in the slightest, he evenly met her indifferent stare and managed to growl out a question. "What is it?" A serpent's smile prefaced Urbosa's response.

"What if this hurts?"

Revali sneered, not appreciating her humor, and instantly yanked up on the metal, deftly pulling it free as quickly as he could. Urbosa, as it turns out, couldn't help but admit a yelp of pain as the twisted, rusty intruder was freed from her arm by Revali. Grunting, the Rito tossed aside the bloody scrap metal as Urbosa cradled her arm, rubbing it and frowning as the wound continued to dribble blood. Hissing a bit under her breath, Urbosa glanced up to meet Revali's stare. Her wound had ceased its excessive bleeding, and the soiled tourniquet that was coiled around her arm served as a reminder to the pair of their own vulnerabilities, even though neither one of them would ever admit it to themselves, or the other.

"Thank you," Urbosa said with quiet but grudging gratitude, shifting her slightly embarrassed jade eyes back to her injury. "And, erm... I apologize for mocking you just before. I needed to distract myself and... that was the best I could come up with spontaneously." Revali grunted, but despite how much he wanted to argue, he realized that Urbosa was being truthful with him. He'd be lying if he thought he wouldn't have done the same thing to distract himself from something that must have hurt like all hell.

"... You're welcome," responded Revali against his better judgement. As Urbosa fiddled with her tourniquet, she glanced back up at him and allowed herself a small smile at having her gratitude reciprocated. The Rito did his best to ignore how nervous the action made him, and continued speaking to distract himself. "But don't delude yourself. This was all your fault. I'd have been able to stop that bomb barrel if you hadn't crash-tackled me to the ground like a crazed lunatic."

Urbosa's smile widened, and it kept growing before she broke out in a bout of soft laughter. Her laughing continued to grow in volume, and Revali found himself getting annoyed at her obvious disbelief of his cover-up statement. If there was one thing he wasn't going to allow her to know, it was that there was a miniscule part of him that was glad they'd both gotten out of the incident in relatively good health. Relief wasn't the best thing for his "confident bravado" image.

"Stop laughing!" he snapped half-heartedly, which unsurprisingly did nothing to stem Urbosa's tide of laughter. "I'm being completely serious! This _is_ all your fault!"

Urbosa was still laughing by the time the other Champions caught up to them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One of my favorite chapters, mostly because this was the point where the meat of Urbosa/Revali bickering started. Writing may be my passion, but character bickering and watching personalities bounce off of each other is my absolute favorite.
> 
> Thanks for reading, and have a great day! I'll be back tomorrow to upload chapter 12 and maybe 13? I guess we'll see.


	12. I'm Threatening You For Your Own Good

The night in the small field was oddly peaceful, despite the bomb barrel that had gone off and completely destroyed the Bokoblin encampment that had once been there. In the interest of time, the Champions had set up a small camp of blankets surrounding a wood fire next to the ashen rubble. Daruk had already fallen asleep, claiming before he nodded off that he needed his 'beauty rest'. Zelda had almost immediately pulled out her Sheikah Slate and began tinkering with the settings, tapping at the screen at random intervals and completely tuning out the rest of the world.

Link was milling around the camp with no particular purpose, simply observing everyone while Mipha went off to get extra healing supplies to better clean the two runaway Champions up. The Hylian knight looked over at where the two were sitting curiously. Urbosa and Revali had decided to sit down on opposite ends of a nearby log, both of them trying to act as casual as possible without looking like they were _trying_ to act casual. Link found it almost fascinating how quickly the two of them could go from shouting in each other's faces to sitting down in subdued silence. It made him wonder if the two did in fact actually hate each other, or if there was just something that set them both off on each other.

As someone who had gone through Knight and Royal Guard training, Link understood how taking two soldiers who didn't get along well and forcing them together would affect the entire unit's chemistry. The first few emotions were typically either amusement or indifference. Then, after a while longer of realizing that they two squabblers weren't going to stop, one particularly annoyed member of the unit would go up to the two members of the unruly pair and beat their heads together until they came to an agreement, however coerced it may have been.

Such a solution didn't seem to be possible with Urbosa and Revali, at least from what Link had observed. They'd been told off directly and _literally_ had their heads pounded together by Daruk. Then they had been cornered by Mipha and forced to settle their differences verbally, if just for a moment. _Then,_ the Gerudo and Rito ran off and had somehow managed to blow themselves up. Nothing was working, and nothing was getting better.

Link sighed quietly, shaking his head. So far, Revali and Urbosa's antics hadn't had much impact on the overall teamwork of the Champions. Sure, they may have a few snide comments for each other every now and then but, despite that, they were still able to take down an entire Boko camp by themselves when the time came. Insofar, teamwork hadn't been affected by their unruly behavior.

The Hylian Knight's statement was proven wrong the second Mipha emerged from the bush with her healing supplies in hand.

Link watched as Mipha silently walked over to the log where Urbosa and Revali were doing their best to actively ignore each other while also periodically glancing over to make sure that the other was doing the same. The Zora healer dropped the supplies in between the two of them unceremoniously, not saying a word as she stalked past them haughtily in the dimly lit night, making her way to stand in front of Link. Her amber eyes were hardened and clouded by apparent anger, and the Zora wordlessly drew him in for a tight hug, one that he readily returned. They held each other for a short moment before mutually deciding to back away, although Mipha still held on to one of Link's hands as they drew back.

"I had to do that," she said quietly, with a slightly bittersweet smile on her face. "While I was out searching for supplies, I also tried thinking about why Urbosa and Revali despise each other so. It was a very troublesome and unpleasant inner dialogue. I… well, simply put… your presence has always been able to calm me down." The pair smiled at each other, although Link didn't miss the extra shade of red that swept over Mipha's face for a brief moment, even in the quiet ivory glow of the moon. Feeling particularly bold at the moment, Link moved his free hand up to Mipha's cheek and brushed it lightly. He wasn't very surprised when he felt her lean into his touch almost immediately.

"Did you empathize too much?" asked Link quietly, still looking Mipha right in the eye. "Is that why you needed a hug?"

"No," replied the Zora Princess simply, a sweet smile on her face. "I got too angry, and I wanted to come calm down before I go over and beat their heads together." Link blinked in surprise at the contrast between the adorable and emotional image of Mipha leaning her cheek against his palm and the casual bluntness of a halfway-shrouded verbal threat against their fellow Champions. Before he had time to question her, however, Mipha squeezed Link's hand reassuringly and freed herself from his grasp. The gesture was almost reassuring enough to convince the Hylian that nothing would go wrong in the next few minutes. Then, as she sauntered over to where Urbosa and Revali were sitting, Mipha drew her Silverscale Trident.

_Here we go._ Link instinctively slung his Hylian shield off of his back and slipped it into place on his arm. Just to be safe.

"Listen to me, both of you."

Both Urbosa and Revali seemed a tad surprised to hear Mipha's voice. There was no anger or harshness in the Zora's tone—yet—that indicated a verbal storm on the horizon, but Link could see that they were both uneasy. It was almost as though they'd been subjected to Mipha's rage before…

"Are either of you unduly hurt?" asked Mipha innocently, moving in between the pair and kneeling down to sift through the collection of natural healing supplies that she'd collected earlier. Link watched as Urbosa and Revali glanced down at Mipha, then at each other, obviously unsure of what Mipha was getting at. Not hearing a response, Mipha calmly got up, readjusted her grip on her trident, and walked over to stand in front of Urbosa. Mipha tilted her head and look down at Urbosa, who met her gaze with a calm, raised eyebrow.

"My arm is certainly holding up well," said the Gerudo eventually, giving a somewhat-weak smile. She lifted her left arm, which still had a slightly bloodied blue ribbon tied to it, just above a sizeable scar that hadn't quite healed on its own yet, where the metal shrapnel had pierced her arm. "Although, my back has been stinging recently. I suspect that I may have gotten a few burns while I shielded a certain cucco from an exploding bomb barrel."

"Don't make yourself sound so heroic, Urbosa," Revali snapped from his spot a few feet away from her. "I had that situation under control, and everything went wrong when _you_ distracted me." Urbosa raised an eyebrow and turned to look at Revali indignantly, but Mipha straddled the small log and placed herself between the two, facing Urbosa.

"Stop it," she said candidly. "Urbosa, I need you to come here and sit so your back faces me to check for burns."

"As you say, Mipha dear." While the Gerudo swordswoman fulfilled the Zora Princess' request, Mipha turned to glance over her shoulder at Revali.

"And how are you faring, Master Revali?" she asked, eyeing the prideful Champion carefully. "Do you have any outstanding injuries?"

"No," the Rito was quick to reply with, crossing his feathered arms over his chest as he glared at the readjusting Urbosa. "Although my arm _is_ rather sore from being assaulted by a certain red-haired maniac." The accused Gerudo laughed and shook her head.

"I never realized that saving your life qualified as assault," Urbosa said, bowing her head in a show of mock respect as Mipha analyzed her exposed back. "I'll be sure to avoid pulling your feathered rear out of danger next time." Revali scowled and moved to respond, but Mipha cut him off by burying her trident's head into the dirt beside him quite violently. Both Urbosa and Revali lapsed into a stunned silence as Mipha continued speaking as though she hadn't just made a show of power. Her trident glinted ominously in the moonlight, giving the ornate weapon an almost deathly glow.

"You have several second-degree burns on you back, Urbosa," Mipha said candidly, hovering her fingers just above each of the injuries, but not taking any action.

"Could you be a dear and heal them for me, Mipha?" asked the Gerudo over her shoulder, staring at Revali while asking. "I'd prefer to be in top form for when I need to—."

"No."

Urbosa's soon-to-be-inflammatory comment came to a grinding halt as Mipha's statement registered in her mind. Link was just as surprised as she was, frankly. Mipha, in all the time he'd known her, had _never_ refused to heal a person's injuries. No matter how insignificant, Mipha's caring nature had always been at the forefront of her mind, compelling her to have everyone in the best health they could possibly be in. _So why deny Urbosa now?_

"You… just said she had second degree burns," Revali said slowly, obviously just as shocked as the rest of them. The Rito was so surprised, he didn't even try to vigorously defend himself for talking about Urbosa's health. "Mipha, I'm not sure if you knew this, but second-degree burns are reason for concern. They're also a reason to heal a Champion." Link saw Urbosa smile in an odd way, but his attention was soon grabbed by Mipha, who abruptly stood and grabbed her trident from the dirt, facing both of her 'patients'.

"I know that second degree burns are prone to infection, if not treated," Mipha said calmly, casting a pointed look at Revali, who frowned in response. "And I know that you, Revali, will suffer extreme discomfort from your dislocated arm for several days." Revali stepped closer to Mipha in what was probably supposed to be an intimidating fashion, but it was undercut when the Zora brandished her trident at him, the tallest point almost pressing against his throat. The Rito's emerald eyes flickered nervously between Mipha's face and the glinting tip of her trident.

"So…" he said slowly, pausing to gulp a bit. "… why are you refusing to heal us?" Mipha slowly lowered her trident, but the steel never left her eyes.

"I healed you before, Revali," she said matter-of-factly. "After your little training spat with Urbosa. Then I spoke with _both_ of you—" Mipha paused for a moment to turn around and glare at Urbosa, who had been smirking just a moment before, "—about learning to tolerate and understand each other. And did either of you try and cooperate for longer than a day?"

There was an awkward silence during which Revali coughed into his wing and Urbosa pushed a few stray locks of hair from her face. "Listen, Mipha dear, I don't—."

"I have decided to stop enabling both of you," Mipha interrupted, turning her gaze (and her trident tip) to face Urbosa now. Link noticed how Revali let out a quiet sigh of relief as the Zora's wrath was directed away from him.

"Enabling us?" Urbosa asked, confusion darting through her jade eyes. To her credit, though, she didn't seem very fazed by Mipha's trident. "How can you healing us possibly enable us to bicker?"

"You two have created a rather nasty habit of finding new ways to harm each other every time you open your mouths," Mipha said candidly. "In retrospect, I'm amazed we ever allowed you two to be in close proximity with swords for a training exercise."

"Why does that mean you shouldn't heal us?" asked Revali testily, wings now crossed as some of his trademark confidence returned. "How would I have been able to learn from any alleged mistakes if you hadn't healed me before? If I was still in a hospital bed because of Urbosa's lightning?"

"You _didn't_ learn from your mistakes," Mipha asserted confidently, "and I believe the reason for that is because there were no repercussions for either of you. Urbosa walked away untouched from your little spat, and you were healed in less than a day."

"I'm surprised your empathy is allowing you to do this," Urbosa said, finally standing up and doing a decent job at hiding her wince as the burns on her back twinged.

"My empathy is _exactly_ what's allowing me to do this," Mipha corrected, gesticulating her words with her trident. "I heal others because I know that, deep down inside them, they want to do better." The Zora paused for a moment to glance back over at Link and smile. It was rather dark, but Link could still see it nonetheless. "I know that they walk away a better person after I've heled them," continued the healer whilst still smiling at Link, "and that they will do their best to change what went wrong." Link felt some heat rise to his face as he grinned back at the Zora sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head. Revali scoffed at the situation and turned his head down at Mipha.

"What an adorable love letter, Mipha," spat the Rito. "However, just because that Hylian miscreant has you wrapped around his finger doesn't mean the rest of us are suddenly unworthy." Mipha frowned and stood on the fallen log, turning around so she could look Revali in the eye with her new height. The Rito archer didn't flinch, but Link could tell he was a tad unsettled. A brief silence lapsed between the two confrontational Champions, the only source of sound being the nocturnal crickets quivering in the nearby bushes. A cursory glance around the camp told Link that Zelda had long-since caught on to their argument and was busying herself by fiddling with the Sheikah Slate and trying not to look like she was overhearing anything.

"I heal Link because he is willing to admit his mistakes," Mipha said calmly to Revali, her eyes boring into his skull. "You and Urbosa, on the other hand, have proven that neither of you care one iota for your wellbeing when it comes to your spats." Urbosa took the small pause in Mipha's words as a chance to interject her own argument into the debate, but the Zora wasn't willing to compromise for once.

"Mipha, try to understand that—."

"No, _you_ are the one who needs to understand," Mipha insited. "I will not heal either of you until you can figure out how to get along with one another."

"And what does that have to do with us 'understanding our mistakes'?" snapped Revali, getting increasingly irritated by Mipha's uncharacteristic lack of cooperation. "Won't we be better equipped to repent out loud, or whatever other nonsense you want us to do, in full health?"

"I will no longer allow you two to act without consequences," Mipha said, keeping steadfast even under scrutiny from perhaps the two most intense Champions of the bunch. "Your injuries will remind you of your mistakes. If you try and find healing in other places, then I will ensure that whatever injury you had returns as soon as possible." Urbosa bowed her head and rubbed her temples tiredly.

"Mipha," began the Gerudo in disbelief, "are you threatening to keep us injured?"

"I am threatening you for your own good," Mipha stated in a way that, somehow, made it sound caring instead of sarcastic. "Once you two begin acting agreeable around each other, _then_ I will heal you." Both Urbosa and Revali scoffed indignantly.

"I'm perfectly agreeable when I want to be, I'll have you know!"

"Mipha dear, I am _much_ more agreeable than you give me credit for."

Mipha raised an eyebrow, then raised a finger.

Point to Revali; "You put yourself in danger because of your insecurities."

Point to Urbosa; "You shocked him with lightning to save your pride."

Both Champions clamped their mouths shut. Urbosa coughed into her hand and pretended to fret with her hair, while Revali gave off a little 'harumph' and turned his head away. The steel in Mipha's eyes faded as quickly as the heat of the argument did, and she seemed to almost come to her senses. The Zora cleared her throat suddenly and whisked her trident away, securing it on her back almost shamefully. Link smiled in fascination at how quickly the young Zora had gone from 'mother bear protective rage' to 'did I really just do that?'.

"So… erm…" Mipha coughed nervously, drawing the attention of Urbosa and Revali from their indignant thoughts. Both of the bickering warriors seemed equally surprised at Mipha's sudden tonal shift. "Are we… that is, do we understand each other?" Revali immediately scoffed and stalked off towards the other side of the camp where Zelda sat, ignoring the Zora's question. Urbosa's eyes followed the indignant Rito for a moment before shifting back to Mipha, an appreciative smile tugging at her lips.

"We are understood, Mipha," said the Gerudo swordswoman, taking a seat and leaning against the log she'd been sitting on before the argument had started. "Thank you for your straightforwardness. We both needed it." Even in the pale moonlight, Link could tell that part of Mipha's face had flushed as Urbosa nudged the shorter Champion playfully. "Now, it's probably for the best that we all settle in for the night. Hopefully we can make it Zora's Domain by morning."

Link found a nice spot to lay down as everyone who was awake settled in to sleep, slipping off the Master Sword's sheath and his Hylian Shield. The young boy stretched himself out on the ground and set his head on the cool earth, eyes closing peacefully. Just before he completely fell asleep, however, Link felt a pair of scaly arms twine around him from behind, and a soft, gentle warmth pressed itself against his back. Needless to say, he fell asleep with a small smile on his face.

/-\\-/-\\-/-\\-/-\

Zelda woke up far before any of her Champions did. She sat up as quietly as she could, careful not to disturb her slumbering companions. The sun was beginning to crest over the distant hillside, relatively dim but still enough to overpower the remaining glow of the moon that passed by overhead. Droplets of sunlight passed through the small forest area they'd decided to set up camp next to, giving the sun and shadow an almost liquid appearance on the ground. As the Princess rubbed the sleep from her eyes, she sighed quietly.

Zelda smiled a bit as she remembered how angry Mipha had been at Revali and Urbosa the night prior, such a departure from her usually meek and reserved character. The way the Rito and Gerudo Champions behaved themselves around each other was distracting enough in its own right, but Zelda knew there was something to be said when someone else's personal conflict made _Mipha_ explode in anger.

Zelda shook her head and sighed, staring at a particular leaf that bobbed smoothly in the gentle breeze. _I shouldn't interfere with their business,_ thought the Hylian royal to herself. _Mipha is already on their backs about it, and I have no right to pry further. Hylia knows how annoyed_ I _get when Urbosa interrogates me. The least I can do is give her some space._

A flicker of movement caught Zelda's eye, and the Hylian girl looked at a quivering bush in the nearby tree line. She couldn't see what was making it rustle, but she almost never got a chance to be so close to Hyrule wildlife, despite how much she liked to research and document them in the Hyrule Compendium. The only thing to do was take a picture of whatever it was with the Sheikah Slate. Zelda reached over and rifled through her satchel for the Slate… and a bolt of panic nearly stopped her heart when she noticed the lack of ancient technology.

"No, no, no…" Zelda tried to keep from raising her voice, but her panic was making it difficult to do so. "This makes no sense, I _know_ I had the Slate in here…" The Hylian Princess pulled her satchel into her lap and opened it as wide as the stitching would allow, desperately shuffling its contents around in search of the priceless artifact. When her search proved fruitless, Zelda turned the satchel over and let the contents spill out onto the ground, so she could be absolutely certain that she hadn't somehow missed the Sheikah technology.

_"Purr."_

Zelda froze at hearing the foreign sound, her hands half-buried in the upended contents of her satchel. Slowly, she turned her gaze upwards, towards the previously-quivering bush, and the Hylian girl gasped quietly as she noticed two things, one after the other.

Firstly, the creature that sat before her was like nothing she'd ever seen before. It seemed like your average Hylian cat in stature and size. However, upon closer investigation, its fur was a unique combination of a violet overcoat with a cream underbelly. Its tail was curled up beside its head in an almost-unnatural sickle shape, and the fur above its eyes was a lighter shade of purple, giving the cat-like creature the appearance of having eyebrows. Perhaps the most startling aspect about the creature's appearance was the amount of intelligence in its shining green eyes.

The second thing she noticed was the Sheikah Slate in the creature's mouth.

Just as Zelda's eyes widened in realization, the cat's eyes narrowed slightly. _Is the cat… smirking at me?_ Before Zelda could confirm her suspicion, the cat darted off into the brush with the still-captive Sheikah Slate gripped firmly in its tiny mouth.

"No!" whispered Zelda, pounding her fist in the dirt. The Hylian Princess took a small glance around the camp at her still slumbering Champions, debating whether or not she should ask for assistance. _I could certainly use their help in catching that thieving animal…_ Zelda's eyes narrowed suddenly, and she shook her head. ,em>No. I can do this by myself. I don't need help with every little problem that arises. With that in mind, Zelda stalked off into the woods in search of the Sheikah Slate and its feline thief. _With any luck, I'll be back in a few minutes. It's just a cat, after all._

/-\\-/-\\-/-\\-/-\

This was the third time she'd had a staring contest with that stupid cat.

Zelda was crouched low, hair pulled back, trying to keep her breathing light and move as slow as possible. The cat was staring straight into her soul, and even with the Slate in its mouth Zelda could have sworn that the infernal thing was grinning at her. There was a mischievous joy in the cat's eyes and, if it was to follow what it had done before, the second Zelda got within three feet of the creature it would bolt like lightning and disappear into the bushes once again.

"Don't do it…" Zelda muttered under her breath, flexing her fingers a bit as she debated whether or not she should try reaching out again. "I swear to Hylia, if you bolt again…" After watching the thieving creature dart away from her twice already, Zelda wasn't sure what she'd do if the creature made yet another escape. She was so close…

_"Purr."_ The cat's eyes narrowed, and Zelda's heart dropped as she realized that the feline was smirking at her. However, before either of them moved, a rustle in the bushes to Zelda's left made both of them freeze. They rustled for a few moments more before a person pushed aside the foliage and stepped between them. The stranger's back was facing her, but appeared to be more or less her height, with the same build as a Hylian. A mane of hair not dissimilar to Urbosa's shrouded most of the stranger's back, except it was a gentle sea green in color as opposed to the Gerudo's bright scarlet locks. Simple brown pants and a white shirt with sleeves that ended just past the elbow made up the stranger's wardrobe, and an odd golden cube with a square hole through all its sides hung from the waistband of the pants. From her crouched position and relative stillness, it was obvious that the stranger didn't notice her. His or her attention was on the feline, which had set the Slate down in front of its paws.

"It's been quite a while, hasn't it?" The stranger's voice was soft and sure, not entirely unlike Mipha's, but somehow distinctly male. Zelda wasn't sure what to make of the stranger's hairstyle then, but she decided to withhold judgement until after she saw more. ,em>Wait… Curiosity briefly broke through the Hylian girl's observations. _Is he talking to the cat? Does it belong to him?_ Zelda's thoughts were broken as the cat purred, perhaps responding to the odd stranger.

_"Purr."_

"You've certainly come quite the distance from home," continued the stranger, presumably still speaking to the cat. "You must be so much stronger than when we last met to have made it this far. I'm very proud of you."

_"Purr, purrl."_ This time, the stranger crouched down, completely blocking off Zelda's view of the odd cat and replacing it with a mane of green hair.

"How are you enjoying your freedom?" asked the stranger, as though he were talking to an old friend instead of a wild animal. Zelda was equal parts fascinated and perplexed at how smooth the conversation appeared to be between the two.

_"Loin. Purr."_

"I can certainly see that, my friend. And what poor soul did you manage to steal this from?" Seeing an opportunity to jump in before she was inevitably noticed, Zelda abruptly stood from her hiding place and briefly dusted herself off before clearing her throat.

"That device belongs to me," she said strongly, looking down at the stranger and the cat. The stranger's head turned to face her, and he also rose to look her in the eye. He was only an inch or so taller than her, with a gentle face that seemed to convey understanding. In contrast to his genial appearance, his icicle-blue eyes were piercing and determined.

"Oh, of course," said the stranger, smiling kindly. "I suppose you will be wanting it back." He reached back down for the Slate and, much to Zelda's surprise, the odd purple cat simply let him pick it up without a fuss. Instead of immediately handing the device back to her, however, the stranger turned it over in his hands, analyzing it in fascination.

"This is certainly an incredible piece of technology," he said, his eyes flickering between the Slate's screen and Zelda's watchful expression. "Would you mind telling me how it was made?"

Zelda's words caught in her throat, her surprise mangling the demanding command she was about to make to the stranger. She'd yet to meet anyone as fascinated as she was by the ancient Sheikah technology. Of course, the scientists that had made the discovery were involved, and Mipha was rather knowledgeable about them as well, but there was no passion behind it at all. Needless to say, the stranger's sudden interest in her passion project was more than enough to pique some interest of her own. Unfortunately, the stranger mistook Zelda's silence for discomfort, and immediately gave the Slate back to her.

"How rude of me," said the stranger, wincing a bit. "I must apologize for my forwardness, asking about your belongings before we even know each other's names. I've been told by several of my friends that I need to work on my communication skills."

_"Purr. Loin purr purr."_ At their feet, the purple cat meowed and rubbed itself against the stranger's leg affectionately, prompting a smile from the green haired man. He quickly crouched down to pick the small creature up in his arms, and after a moment the cat decided to settle itself on his shoulder, halfway nested in his mane of hair.

"Yes, I'm well aware of that," he said, talking to the cat once again. "Unfortunately, I've yet to make a reliable formula for social situations such as these." Now that she was no longer hiding in a bush, Zelda felt free enough to ask some questions for the sake of satisfying her curiosity as to whether the man that stood before her was insane or fascinating.

"Can you actually understand that creature?" she asked curiously. "Does it have its own language?" The man laughed quietly, and shook his head. Zelda suddenly noticed the odd white and black hat the man was wearing as he did so, before getting distracted by his response.

"It has always been easier for me to speak to p—that is, animals," said the stranger simply, as though he hadn't stuttered. "They usually are more honest with me than people are." Zelda's eyes narrowed slightly, but she decided not to press any further. _I suppose the jury might still be out in regard to this man's mental health._ Actually, now that she had the Slate in her hands, it would be a perfect moment for her to slip away, she reasoned, so she could return to the camp before anyone noticed.

"That sounds interesting," Zelda said passively, her eyes fixed on the Slate, checking to see if any of it had been damaged while in possession of the cat.

"It has its moments," said the stranger, the smile evident in his voice. "I'm currently searching for some friends that I haven't seen for a very long time. It was very fortunate that I found the first of them here." Zelda stopped her inspections for a moment as she processed the stranger's words, before nodding her head in appreciation. The man seemed very genuine and honest, albeit also a tad unsettling in regards to his habit of talking to animals. She figured it would be best if she left as soon as possible while she still had the Slate.

"I wish you well on your journey," Zelda said, finding that she actually did wish the odd stranger well on his quest. "I actually need to return to my own friends…" The statement had come out much more somber than Zelda had intended, but there wasn't much she could do to help that. As much as she loved Urbosa, Zelda wasn't exactly enthralled by the prospects of the journey that lay before her. Traveling to the distant corners of Hyrule at her father's whim, improving neither her religious or scientific prowess all the while? The Hylian Princess could think of much better uses of her time than that.

"Your friends?" asked the stranger calmly, reaching up with a hand to scratch the chin of the cat on his shoulder. "You sound rather subdued about these friends…" Zelda felt her face redden slightly, and she tried her best to hide it by pretending to fiddle around with the Sheikah Slate.

"And what does that matter to you?" snapped the Hylian girl defensively. However, the stranger simply smiled again and shook his head.

"I speak from experience," said the stranger, eyeing Zelda in a very serious, almost confidential manner. "Family has failed me rather often in the past, and in times of such disappointment my only solace has been my friends. Cherish your time with them, if you can." The green-haired man trailed of for a moment, turning his head to glance at the cat that purred contentedly on his shoulder. "Or else you might find yourself alone when you need them most."

The voice of the man carried the combined weight of a caring mentor's tale and a tragic retelling of personal loss. That didn't make him seem any less strange in Zelda's eyes, but it was certainly enough to lodge his words into her memory for the time being. "I will stay with them regardless of whether I care for them or not," Zelda affirmed quietly. "Besides, my father cares for me. As his daughter and successor, I've no need to worry about abandonment. There will… always be someone, I suppose." The Hylian girl could hear the morose undertone to her words this time, because she knew the words really were empty. Her father cared about her, yes, but her duty came first. Would she ever be devoid of people around her? No. Would she always have people who cared about her needs around her? No.

"Successor?" The man's voice was curious, but not confused. "You are… a Princess?"

Zelda wasn't quite sure what to say that wouldn't cause any further introspection into her prickly emotions, so she simply nodded her head and tried to keep the heat away from her cheeks.

"Having royal responsibility can actually be a hinderance when involved with your own desires," said the man, giving a knowing laugh. "It becomes difficult to separate duty from life."

"Are you part of a royal family?" asked Zelda out of earnest curiosity. There was no way the man was a Hylian royal, or part of any other of Hyrule's races. Was the man a foreigner, perhaps? The man chuckled bittersweetly. He shook his head, and his mane of green hair followed his movement.

"I used to be a king," said the man quietly, his voice neither carrying shame nor pride. "Many years ago. Back when I saw the morals of the world in black and white…" He shook his head again. "No longer. I've met many creatures on this journey that I've set myself on, and I have grown to understand that all sentient creatures of the world have their own ideals. Their own versions of the truth. I saw the world my way, when I was king, and tried to justify my ideals through a show of strength."

"That's not something a king should ever do," Zelda said almost instinctively. "A king should never force others to follow him for his own reasons." Thankfully, the man didn't seem angered or annoyed by her interruption; actually, he nodded his head in agreement to her statement.

"I came to realize that as well, after I was defeated," admitted the man. The cat on his shoulder became agitated, mewling discontentedly until the man scratched its chin again. "I realized that one person's truth and ideals are not meant to be taken as universal law, and I sought to fix my past mistakes. My father wasn't nearly so forgiving."

"Surely you can talk some sense into him?" Zelda knew she was probably overstepping her bounds, but it was so rare that she ever got the opportunity to speak candidly about her life as a royal daughter. Mipha was always around, and she certainly knew of Zelda's struggles, but the Zora Princess' palace life was comprised of a caring and understanding father who held her best interests in mind. The two could simply never relate to each other's experiences. "I know that my own father can be rather hardheaded at times, but he usually comes around…" The stranger shook his head yet again.

"My father is not the kind of man to understand others," he said, with a surprising amount of understanding in his voice. His gray-blue eyes remained sharp and alert, but with perhaps a tinge of sadness in them. "When I was little, I was abandoned deep in the woods. The ones who took me in and raised me were the animals who lived there. Then, one day, a man appeared, claiming to be my father. The things he gave me were… the name 'Harmonia'… the knowledge a king would need… When I failed all those years later, he disowned me. He criticized me for my compassion towards animals, even going so far as to call me a 'freak without a human heart'."

"I… Hylia, that's just…" Zelda's condolences died in the back of her throat at hearing the harsh past of the man that stood before her. _It's incredible how open this man is being with me right now,_ she thought in slight shock. _To share such a painful history… being shunned by his father and searching for his old friends… why?_ "Why would you tell me this?" she asked, finally finding her voice and meeting the man's icicle-tipped stare. "We are strangers. Why share your life story with me?"

The stranger laughed quietly, and moved his hand up to scratch at his feline companion's chin again. "My friend here told me, just before you spoke up, that she had been following you and your group for the past day. She also told me that you seemed distant and detached from the rest." Zelda felt her mouth hang open, but the man simply smiled and continued talking.

"Not to worry, she hasn't told me much else," the stranger said consolingly. "Just enough to garner my concern. My goal has always been to help others. Now, I hope that telling you my story has helped you."

"Helped me?"

"Yes. Keep faith in your friends. Often, they are the only ones who can help you when you are at your worst… or when you need to be reminded of what truly matters in this world." The man nodded his head assuredly. "I should leave. There is nothing more for me to say that I suspect you don't already know. I wish you the best of luck with your journey." With that, the man turned to leave, but Zelda felt compelled to at least call out a goodbye.

"Good-bye, Harmonia," she said, recalling the name he'd mentioned earlier. "I hope you find all of your friends." 'Harmonia' stopped and chuckled a little casting one final glance back at Zelda, warm smile having now returned to his lips.

"Harmonia is my father's surname," he said. "I prefer not to use it anymore." Zelda felt her heart sink a little.

"Oh… then… what do I call you?" The man smiled gently, but shook his head in refusal of Zelda's request.

"You don't need my name to solve the formula I've given you," said the stranger kindly. "Remember me for my ideals and my truths, not for my name. They are much more important than I will ever be." Zelda was slightly confused by the man's request, but she nodded in agreement all the same. Even if she never figured out his name, she knew that what he had told her would stick in her mind for days to come, perhaps even longer. The man's eyes gleamed with pride as he beamed a wide smile and spread his arms out.

"Well, then… farewell!"

Zelda blinked, and when she opened her eyes again both the man and the thieving cat had disappeared from in front of her. The Hylian Princess turned her head and took a tentative step forward, but there remained no trace of the man's existence, and she briefly wondered if she had imagined the whole experience.

The Sheikah Slate beeped at her suddenly, and Zelda glanced down as the screen turned itself on and accessed the photo album. A gasp escaped the flowering scientist's lips as she realized that a picture of the strange purple cat had indeed been taken and added to the Hyrule Compendium, its devious green eyes staring right at her through the digital image. However, instead of a species name being listed, the line of text below it simply read _"A Friend Worth Remembering"._

Shaking her head in equal parts disbelief and fascination, Zelda closed out of the Compendium and turned to begin making her way back to camp, to the Champions. To her friends.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love Breath of the Wild, but the Gen 5 Pokemon games will always be my alma mater.
> 
> N will be a recurring character throughout the rest of the journey and, despite what this cameo would have you believe, he actually has a pivotal role in the story I want to tell about the Champions' developing personalities, although you don't necessarily have to know who he is to understand the wisdom he'll be trying to impart.
> 
> Basically, I needed a character who was truly detached from all of the Champion's squabbles, and adding a new character was my final solution. Daruk was close, but now that he's in cahoots with Mipha and trying to meddle with Urbosa and Revali, he won't be nearly as objective as I'll need him to be. Link was another option, but he's already in too deep with Mipha and has legit tried everything he could with Zelda in Definition of a Lifetime. Plus, I wanted to have this guy here anyways, so may as well make him an influential character.
> 
> Thanks for reading, and be sure to tell me what you think!


	13. Lightning Never Strikes the Same Rito Twice

Mipha smiled widely as she rounded the last corner on the path to Zora's Domain. To say she was overjoyed to be home again was an understatement; in fact, she was beyond relieved. After so much chaos, injury, pent up emotions, and outbursts, Mipha was quite ready to return to her home. A place that she knew and loved, one that always managed to entrance her with its beauty. The young healer's smile widened as she set eyes on the gorgeous Great Zora Bridge; its pillars caught the late morning sunlight and warped its color, morphing the glowing green Luminous stone into a deep, oceanic blue.

_*tweet!*_

A small red speck in the distance came running up to the Champions from the opposite side of the bridge, barely growing in size as it approached them. Even from the distance that separated them, Mipha could hear the young Zora boy blowing passionately on the whistle that always hung around his neck. No matter how often she saw him, her baby brother Sidon could put a smile on her face (although he adamantly protested that he was a fully matured adult). Meanwhile, Revali cringed and frowned beside Mipha as her younger brother let loose a particularly powerful puff into his whistle.

_*tweet-tweeeeeeeeeeeeet!*_

"For the love of Farore," Revali groaned, watching as the knee-high Zora ran up to Mipha and jumped into her arms. "Does it _have_ to do that?" Mipha glowered at the Rito, but before she could reprimand him, Sidon clambered his way upwards to the top of her head.

"Mipha's hooooooooooome!" Sidon yelled, clinging to his sister's head like an incredibly affectionate Keese. Mipha giggled and murmured a slightly embarrassed reply, but Sidon's attention was immediately enraptured by the Champions. He fumbled around a bit before standing up on Mipha's head rather triumphantly, pointing one of his stubby arms at Revali.

"You!" declared the Zoran youth, voice bursting with childish pride, "are all _VERY FAMOUS PEOPLE!"_

Revali seemed unsure of how to react, as did the other Champions and Zelda. The collective group simply stared at Sidon, all of them blinking unanimously. Link was the first to recover, perhaps unsurprisingly, and he stepped past Daruk to make himself visible. Sidon gave a cry of delight, and Mipha grunted quietly as her bother used her finned head as a springboard to jump onto Link's head, who was ready for him and managed to keep the young Zora from toppling over.

"Liiiiiiink!" exclaimed Sidon joyously, flattening his stomach to the top of the Hylian knight's head, pulling at the boy's blond locks. "You're back too! Wow! Does this mean we can all race down the river, like you promised we'd do when you got back?" Link smiled widely, and Mipha felt her own grin widen as well. Seeing her brother once again had done wonders to warm her heart, in a way that Link was unable to. Romantic love was one thing; familial love was quite another, and Mipha was more than glad to finally have both at once without any internal conflict or strife.

Now, that said nothing about _external_ conflict and strife, but Mipha was planning on dealing with one neurosis at a time.

"Well, aren't you an energetic little trout?" Urbosa stalked over to Link, her height allowing her to look Sidon straight in the eye, even as he stood atop Link's head. She cleared her throat for a moment before continuing. "And what's your name?"

"I am Sidon, the magnificent!" proclaimed the Zoran prince, making a fist and gesticulating wildly. "The greatest warrior of the Zora and the next king of Zora's Domain! None can compare to my radiating brilliance!" The next few seconds were filled with tiny grunts and huffs of exertion as Sidon pantomimed spear thrusts atop Link's head, almost stepping too far and falling off. Urbosa put her hands on her hips and grinned approvingly, and Sidon reciprocated the gesture.

"A true leader in the making," affirmed Urbosa playfully. She then reached down and drew her scimitar, flipping it in the air and catching it by the blade. "Can you wield this, then?" Sidon blinked at the bejeweled handle being offered to him, and he hesitated… before grabbing at the Scimitar of the Seven with a frenetic grin. The second Urbosa released the blade it pitched forward, almost throwing Sidon forward and nearly digging into Link's forehead. Almost. Luckily, the Hylian was able to catch the blade before Sidon could unwittingly perform open brain surgery on one of Hyrule's finest.

Revali took this moment to stand beside Urbosa and peer at the Zora prince. The Rito scoffed as Urbosa reclaimed her weapon and resheathed it. Mipha passingly noticed the brief look of relief that passed over Link's normally-stoic face.

"Brilliance, eh?" asked Revali with a jeer lingering in his voice. Mipha wanted to reprimand him, but she noticed the playful light in the archer's eyes and decided against it. _I'm glad to see that Revali is capable of not being so serious all the time,_ she thought as she watched her brother size up the latest threat to his pride. _It's reassuring. We must be doing something right if he's willing to let his guard down, even just the tiniest bit. I wasn't even certain that Revali was capable of making a harmless joke until now…_ "You're not quite the image of a warrior king just yet, are you?"

"I've precautions in place for that," Sidon said, virtually undeterred by Revali's counter-posturing. "I'm currently perfecting an ancient art of intimidation that is sure to strike fear into all my enemies!" Mipha took that moment to walk over and pluck Sidon from Link's head, ensnaring her rowdy sibling in her arms. The tiny Zora boy thrashed in her arms, but it was nothing Mipha hadn't dealt with before.

"Sidon," she said with an affectionate exasperation that was reserved for one's family members, "please try to behave. You'll hurt yourself." As expected, Mipha's words did nothing to halt her brother's squirming.

"But Miiiiiiiiphaaaaaaaa," protested Sidon vehemently, going limp in her arms. Mipha struggled to hold him up, and she caught the amused smiles of her fellow Champions. It took a lot to keep the red from completely overtaking her face, but she managed it. Mostly. Sort of. "I don't wannaaaaaaa…" Relenting just a bit, Mipha set Sidon down and knelt at his side so he could look at her. The Zoran healer knew that the only way to prevent her sibling from trying to wield Urbosa's weapon was to distract him.

"How come you're all the way out here, you little rapscallion?" Mipha said, feigning some chastisement for some added effect. "Are you hiding from Muzu again?" Instantly, the boy perked up and put on a face of steeled determination that came off as more adorable than heroic.

"Absolutely not!" Sidon announced proudly. "In fact, I've been sent on a special mission from father!"

"Is that so?" asked Mipha, a fond smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. Sidon's grin widened even more, and he grabbed his sisters hand to tug her along towards the Domain.

"Yes!" he said, "I'm supposed to escort you all to the throne room for a special audience! C'mon, c'mon!" Sidon, who apparently could no longer restrain himself, bolted off towards the center of town, shouting for Mipha to hurry up and follow him already.

"We'd better get goin', then."

The sound of Daruk's voice made Mipha jump up and straighten herself in surprise; she'd almost completely forgotten that the other Champions were there. They were all looking at her with some variant of a smile, whether it was Daruk's proud grin or Revali's tiny smirk. Her cheeks reddened a bit involuntarily, but a nervous smile of her own flickered across her lips. She was among friends, after all, and as embarrassing as he could be sometimes, Mipha knew that Sidon would never do anything but bring a smile to her face.

"Yes," Mipha said, clearing her throat a bit and compulsively readjusting her trident. "The throne room is just ahead, past the end of the bridge." As the group advanced down the Great Zora Bridge, Zelda spoke up from just behind Mipha.

"Your brother is rather precious," she said, with a tiny note of dissonance in her otherwise level voice. Wistfulness, perhaps? Despite that, Mipha sensed no ill intent, and she returned the princess' comment with an earnest smile.

"He is endearing, in a frenetic sort of way," added Urbosa, coming forward to walk next to Mipha. "Rather loud, though. Are you—?" Urbosa paused for a moment as a short fit of coughing overtook her, and she cleared her throat before continuing. "—are you sure he's related to you?" The Zora girl laughed quietly and nodded her head. While the siblings had spearmanship in common, Sidon _definitely_ took after their father when it came to his never-ending reserve of energy.

As they continued down the path, Mipha felt a small nudge from beside her, and looked over to find Link now at her side, grinning at her. The Zora healer returned the grin and rolled her eyes, nudging him right back as a comforting warmth blossomed in her chest.

_It's good to be home._

/-\\-/-\\-/-\\-/-\

"I say, it is truly a blessing to see you all here in my throne room!"

Daruk, along with the rest of his sojourning companions, knelt at a respectful distance from the throne of the Zora monarch. King Dorephan, with Sidon standing beside him, looked down at them all rather paternally, as though they were all children that had returned to him. Although Daruk knew that his assumption held true for at least one of their party, there was something about the King that he instantly liked; a kind of Goron-esque sense of family and brotherhood.

"Princess Zelda, Lady Urbosa, Lord Daruk, Masters Revali and Link… and of course, my own daughter." Daruk glanced up just in time to see Mipha walk forward and greet her father with a warm hug. As the healer walked back to stand beside Daruk, he grinned at her. The Goron was beyond pleased to see her smile back at him; after the discussion they'd shared in his living quarters at Hyrule Castle, a newfound appreciation of the Zora girl had grown in Daruk. Mipha possessed a wonderful combination of timeless wisdom and youthful innocence that was very eye opening for him.

"How were your travels?" continued Dorephan jovially after his daughter had returned to her place. "I trust the journey here was relatively easygoing?" The Zora king's statement was met with a few stray coughs from around Urbosa and Revali's general vicinity. The after effects It was obvious that the Rito's arm was still bothering him, but he continuously denied it whenever asked. Urbosa, on the other hand, was still plagued by the burns along her exposed skin in addition to her shrapnel-mangled arm. Even after the scolding she received from Mipha, the Gerudo had elected to keep the tourniquet in place around her upper arm above her scar. She had also refused to clarify her reasons for doing so when asked. _Not exactly what I'd call easygoin',_ Daruk thought, _but at least none of us died or anythin'. There's always that._

"Our journey was, erm, nothing we could not handle," Zelda replied awkwardly from directly in front of the king. "We encountered a Bokoblin encampment, but um… the monsters themselves gave us no trouble."

"That's tremendous to hear!" Dorephan said with a wide grin. "I will admit, I was surprised when I was informed of your arrival. Your father mentioned that you would be visiting each of the races of Hyrule, but he said nothing about Hyrule's Champions coming along for the ride!" An awkward silence permeated throughout the throne room, but thankfully the King had more to say and broke it quickly.

"So, why exactly have you come, dear Princess Zelda?" asked Dorephan, some of his glee fading in favor of genuine curiosity. "I'm afraid your father's messenger wasn't quite clear on that point." Daruk glanced over at the Hylian Princess, who seemed to be picking her words quite carefully.

"He wished for me to journey around Hyrule to meet its denizens and to… learn what I have to lose in the coming fight with Ganon, I suppose." Zelda kept her head bowed in polite respect, but Daruk noticed her clenched fist and winced in sympathy. _I know better than anybody how important it is to know what you're fightin' for,_ Daruk thought, _but I don't think King Rhoam and Zelda are fightin' for the same reasons._ Dorephan, it seemed, also picked up on Zelda's troubled aura. The Zora King's mouth dipped into a tiny frown, but he thankfully didn't pry any further into the issue.

"I see," mused Dorephan, moving an arm up to support his head as he shifted his weight casually from his place on the throne. His eyes flickered to Link, who was quietly kneeling beside Zelda. "Link, my boy, there's no need to stand on such formality. Go ahead and rise." The Hylian did, a tiny smile grafted onto his otherwise stoic face. Daruk notice how much more at ease Link acted with Dorephan, a complete contrast to any of their interactions with Rhoam. There was a distinct joy reflected in Link's eyes; one of a person returning home after an arduous journey.

"Now that we've got the formalities out of the way," Dorephan said, his jolly smile returning, "I do have a small favor to ask of you…" The other Champions rose from their kneeling positions and stood. Daruk took a moment to readjust the chains around his chest when a brusque voice spoke up.

"What do you want us to kill?" All heads turned to face Revali, who had crossed his wings and was squinting his eyes at King Dorephan. Thankfully, the King didn't seem offended by the Rito Champion's bluntness. _Why do you have to be like that, Revali?_ wondered Daruk to himself. ,em>Can't you just ask a question without it soundin' like an attack?

"You are every bit as perceptive as your reputation suggests, Master Revali," Dorephan said kindly. "That being said, with the rise of Calamity Ganon, the frequency of monster attacks has risen across Hyrule. As such, a Lynel has spawned from the Malice and plagued Polymus Mountain for quite some time. It would be wonderful if a few of you could take care of the beast." Surprisingly, Mipha was the first one to respond.

"Actually, father, not all of us can go." Mipha cleared her throat quietly and fidgeted in place as everyone's eyes turned to her, as though she hadn't realized that speaking up would focus the room's attention on her. "That is, Link and I need to analyze Vah Ruta… f-for the Princess' research, of course. And, we can't bring too many people because Ruta, erm… responds better with fewer people?" Daruk couldn't help but smile at the flustered Zora's request. Where Urbosa and Revali were bickering peacocks around each other, Mipha and Link were quiet and content; the two of them so clearly cherished each moment they spent with each other, and watching Mipha politely ask for more time to themselves was as adorable as it got.

Daruk could practically hear Revali rolling his eyes as Dorephan laughed heartily.

"Certainly, my dear, you two may leave for Vah Ruta at once," said the Zora King with a dismissive wave, grinning in a rather mischievous manner. "I'm sure you both have a very ,em>thorough round of research to be conducting together, yes?" Mipha's face transformed from calm white hopefulness to blood-red embarrassment in less than a second at hearing her father's words. Casting a glance over to Link, Daruk saw that the Hylian Knight had suddenly become very interested in straightening some imaginary creases in his Champion's tunic. To save them both from any further humiliation, Mipha walked over to Link and prepared to drag him off in the direction of Vah Ruta. However, before she could make a break for it, Revali stopped them.

"Wait a minute," Revali said, moving to stand beside the two of them. "There's something I have to do first." The pair of quiet lovers glanced at each other briefly before looking back at the Rito archer, who was eyeing Link. Without warning, Revali slung his bow off his back and swung the end of it at Link's right arm. The weapon connected with an ugly-sounding _smack,_ and no doubt a bruise was already forming where the impact had been. Link grunted in pain as both Zelda and Mipha gasped, the latter curling her arms protectively around her favorite Hylian.

"Revali!" scolded Mipha, sounding like she wanted nothing else but to run the archer through with her trident. A rare fire burned in her eyes, one that made Daruk worry for Revali's safety. "Why in Nayru's name did you do that?" Revali crossed his wings over his chest and turned away, apparently not afraid by the prospect of being impaled.

"Because you two are about to be in a cutscene from the actual game," he said nonchalantly, "and the author just realized that Link's arm is injured in the scene and he wants to be accurate, but he's too lazy to go back and get him injured in an earlier chapter. So he had me do it."

Silence eclipsed the throne room. Everyone blinked in unanimous confusion.

The prolonged moment in the awkward corner that the author had written himself into was thankfully interrupted by Urbosa, who erupted into a sudden fit of coughing. After clearing her throat, the Gerudo warrior grinned at Revali, and Mipha and Link left as inconspicuously as possible before they were subject to any more random insanity.

"Did you just break the fourth wall?" Urbosa asked teasingly, hands on hips. Revali, at the very least, had the sense to look a tad embarrassed. "I thought that was _my_ job."

"No need to call so much attention to it," muttered the Rito archer, turning away to look anywhere but Urbosa's face. "The author's getting worried that this joke may be going on for too long."

"I'm so proud of you, Revali."

"Be quiet."

"It's rather adorable how similar we are, isn't it?"

"Will you shut it?"

"Well!" thundered Dorephan, bringing the remaining Champions' attention back to him. Daruk saw the King eyeing Urbosa and Revali with an undiscernible gaze, but he didn't mention the pair's brief squabble. "I'm afraid that, self-awareness aside, I still require at least a few of you to face the Lynel." Daruk considered volunteering himself to go; after all, it had been a _long_ time since he'd had a chance to introduce Boulder Breaker to the hide of a monster. Amicable the Goron may have been, but that didn't mean he wasn't able to appreciate the adrenaline rush that came with a good-old-fashioned scrap.

One could imagine Daruk's surprise when Dorephan continued speaking.

"If you don't mind my input," continued the Zora king, "I'd greatly prefer if Lady Urbosa and Master Revali would make the journey up Polymus." The remaining four adventurers each made their own noises of surprise and, perhaps unsurprisingly, Revali was the first to question the King's request.

"Why are you so eager to send me on this escapade?" asked the Rito, riding the extremely fine, spiderweb-thin line between restrained discontent and blatant disrespect. "Isn't Daruk better suited to climbing a mountain and smashing some monster's skull in?"

"And what would be the point of that?" asked Dorephan, still amiable, but with a hint of steel coming into his eyes for the first time since they'd arrived. "There would be no value in Daruk only doing what he excels at. You, however, might learn a great deal upon fighting a Lynel, the monster that is perhaps the most skilled Malice-spawned creature with a bow in all Hyrule. Facing your own weapons in combat always presents itself with a challenge, something I am willing to bet _you_ have been craving."

Daruk no longer wondered where Mipha got her empathy from. Dorephan wasn't nearly as quiet or reserved as his daughter, but he most definitely shared her infallible ability to read a person's motives and emotions. Revali cast a hurried glance at Urbosa before clearing his throat, and she coughed in response. Or perhaps she just coughed, Daruk honestly couldn't tell with those two anymore.

"Even if you're right," Revali conceded with no small amount of reluctance, "and you're asking this of me to… ,em>teach me a lesson, or something of the like… then why force Urbosa to come with me? I can attest with full honesty that she is more than comfortable with walloping anything that so much as stares at her funny." A pointed Rito glare was thrown in Urbosa's direction, and it was met with an amused Gerudo smirk. "My point being, perhaps your proposed venture would be more productive if you paired me with, say… _anyone else."_

Dorephan's brow furrowed deeply as Revali finished his moment on the soapbox. His deepset eyes hovered on Revali's much smaller form for the longest time, obviously attempting to understand something about the Rito Champion. After a few seconds more of quiet musing, the King's eyes flickered briefly to Urbosa, who was staring back up at the monarch with an unreadable expression scrawled onto her face. Daruk found it odd that despite how often they bickered, they both stood united and unflinching the minute someone else questioned their antics; they'd done the same with Mipha when she refused to heal them. _How they act 'round each other is a mystery enough,_ Daruk thought, _but somethin's startin' to tell me that even_ they _don't get why they argue all the time._

"Princess Zelda," said Dorephan suddenly, turning to face the Hylian royal in question. Zelda's eyes widened a bit, likely surprised to be caught up in what was usually something she only spectated. "What are your thoughts on the matter? Perhaps Master Revali has a point; would you rather he went with Lord Daruk instead?" Daruk immediately realized what Dorephan was doing; if the Zora King could have his way, he would have already sent Urbosa and Revali up the mountain. However, he didn't want to overstep his bounds, and thus left the decision up to Zelda.

While the Hylian princess internally debated on the issue, Revali was practically jumping up and down, trying to 'subtly' suggest his preference, occasionally pointing over at Daruk. Urbosa, on the other hand, eyed Zelda carefully, as if looking for an answer she already had. Before Zelda could decide, the Gerudo stepped forward.

"Revali and I will go," Urbosa said definitively, her gaze hardening slightly. "Peacock and I can take care of the Lynel, no problem." Both Dorephan and Revali reacted simultaneously.

"Is that so?"

"Since when was I _Peacock?"_

"Since right now," Urbosa said with a tiny grin, glancing over to arch an amused eyebrow at Revali before returning her attention to the equally-amused Dorephan. "With respect, King Dorephan, you are an excellent King, but you are not my King. Trust me when I say that, despite what issues we've had in the past, we can handle it." Revali seemed like he _really_ wanted to complain about Urbosa, both because of her proposition and her name-calling, but Daruk was surprised to find that he kept his mouth shut. _I didn't know he was able to do that, if I'm bein' honest._ Whether involuntary or not, the duo cast quick glances at each other. The same uncertain emotion was scrawled across both their faces as Dorephan mused quietly, turning over the proposition in his head.

"Then it is decided." The Zora King turned in his seat and pointed to his left, towards one of the Domain's more isolated peaks. "Mount Polymus is just east of here. The two of you should have no problem in scaling the mountain." Revali and Urbosa nodded respectfully and turned on their heels, headed towards the mountain side-by-side. Daruk watched the pair of them stalk off confidently, looking for all the world like a pair of highly seasoned warriors who could flawlessly dictate the flow of a battle with hardly a bat of their eyes.

"I officially hate you."

"I'm absolutely devastated, Revali, truly."

"Serves you right."

"I'm sure I'll be able to win you back."

"Do you ever stop?"

"… You _have_ met me, right?"

Daruk shook his head, and he chuckled. Now that Mipha had thoroughly chastised them, Daruk noticed how Urbosa and Revali's bickering seemed less intense and more easygoing. It was less like personal attacks and more like they were getting used to each other, albeit slowly. Still, it was obvious that they had _no_ idea how to act completely civil around each other, and so they resorted to the only thing they had to fall back on; merciless teasing. _Well… even if they don't kill the Lynel, at least it'll go deaf after a few minutes,_ Daruk thought. _I guess that's somethin'._

/-\\-/-\\-/-\\-/-\

Zelda watched as Revali and Urbosa stalked off towards Polymus Mountain, bickering all the way until they were out of earshot, and probably long after that. Zelda hadn't appreciated being put on the spot by Dorephan _at all._ She had enough to worry about already, like unlocking her powers and trying to appease her father, and the last thing she needed was to be dragged into the Urbosa and Revali Show. _I just need to let those two sort it out is all…_ Despite that, her encounter with the green-haired stranger the other day nagged at the back of her mind, encouraging her to try and make things better between her feuding companions, to become involved with them.

Zelda still didn't know what she wanted to do about that.

Dorephan looked down at her and Daruk kindly, and he seemed much more at ease now that the bickering had gone to climb a mountain and slay an axe-wielding monster. "Well, I suppose that leaves the two of you…" Daruk nodded, and she laid a strong hand on Zelda's shoulder. The young girl smiled internally at the gesture.

"Now, Princess Zelda, I have another proposition for you and Lord Daruk," said Dorephan, leaning forward in what looked like anticipation. "Since you seem to have nothing else to do, I was wondering if you both would attend a theatre performance that Sidon's school is putting on? The show is right below this room, and is bound to start any minute. I'm certain he would love to have you attend." Daruk nodded his head, obviously intrigued by the idea, and he glanced over at Zelda for confirmation. She smiled back at him and nodded; it would be amusing to watch Sidon's no doubt over-the-top acting.

"I don't see why not," Zelda said, giving a bit of an ironic smile. "It's been a while since I've had the time to indulge myself with the arts."

"You'd best get going," Dorephan advised, smiling widely and dismissing them with a friendly wave. "I've told the producers to make accommodations for you, so you should both have a seat when you arrive." Zelda and Daruk bowed politely and returned the King's wave as they walked back down the stairway they'd arrived on. "I do hope you enjoy your stay here at the Domain."

/-\\-/-\\-/-\\-/-\

It was nearing midday when Mipha and Link arrived at the top of the dam. The Divine Beast Vah Ruta loomed over the young pair, imposing to the eye of anyone who found its giant size unfamiliar. However, Link knew that its spirit was gentle and caring, not unlike its Champion pilot. Mipha had told him time and time again how warm she felt when around Vah Ruta, as though they were long-lost siblings who had finally been reunited after ages of separation. Link felt a connection with the Master Sword and its spirit, but it wasn't anything like the intimate relationship Mipha seemed to have with Vah Ruta.

"She's happy to see us," Mipha said quietly, a smile on her face as she walked out onto the dam's pier, Link following close behind her. Her smile grew when they reached the end of the pier, and Mipha turned to look at Link with her wide amber eyes. "Ruta thinks you're a ruffian, Link. I've tried to convince her that you're actually rather nice, but she won't listen." Link rolled his eyes, but he smiled as well.

"I'm flattered," he said, his smile widening when Mipha gave his arm a playful swat. Link reached his arms behind him to ensure that all his gear was secured and in place before continuing. "Are we going to swim over?" Mipha nodded, but her smile fell a bit when she glanced at his right arm and the story-related bruise that pulsed an angry purple.

"Are you sure you want to swim with your arm hurt like that?" Mipha asked, tilting her head. "I could help you, i-if you needed it." Link brow furrowed in confusion; couldn't she just heal his arm then and there, _before_ they swam in? Then he saw the self-consciously embarrassed look on Mipha's face and realized that she _wanted_ to help him across the water. Grinning at her, Link nodded and gestured to Ruta.

Mipha's face lit up instantly, and she wasted no time in diving into the water, slipping in so perfectly that barely a drop of splash got on the pier. After a second or so the Zora Princess resurfaced, and she turned to face Ruta so her back was facing him. "I am a fairly strong swimmer, so I _should_ be able to carry you…"

Link nodded and lowered himself onto Mipha's back as gradually as he could, grabbing her slick shoulders for balance. He supposed he could have grabbed her head fin, but he imagined that would hurt. "If I drown, I'm blaming you," he whispered in Mipha's ear, and she giggled happily before beginning to swim closer to Ruta at a leisurely pace. Link let his legs slip past her sides so he was straddling her back, almost as though her were riding a horse. The position seemed to be more comfortable for Mipha, and she picked up the pace a bit as they neared the elephantine Divine Beast. when they were still a good distance away from one of Ruta's massive legs, Mipha stopped suddenly and lowered her legs to float upright. The sudden stop caught Link off guard, and his hands slipped off Mipha's shoulders as he was submerged in the water for a few seconds. He regained his senses quickly and began treading water next to Mipha, sputtering water as his head broke the surface.

"Why did you stop?" he asked, his throat not liking the water that was streaming down I while trying to talk. Mipha turned in the water to face him and simply smiled.

"Wait and see…"

A deep rumbling shook the earth, sending hundreds of ripples across the typically still waters of the dam. Link looked up and realized that something on Ruta's front was moving, but he couldn't yet tell what. His confusion only escalated when he suddenly felt solid ground under his feet, pushing up at his from underneath the surface. A quick moment of panic overtook him, but it dissipated as he was lifted out of the water; Mipha had called Ruta to lift its trunk so they could stand on the flat spout that was currently inactive. Link and Mipha balanced themselves as the spout's surface continued to rise, the angle of their footing getting less and less steep the higher they got. As they rose, Link could see more and more of the distant Domain over the hill. The peaks of Mount Polymus were almost glowing in the midday sun as the partially-transparent quartz in the mountain gleamed. The platform soon stabilized, and Vah Ruta gave a proud cry as Link and Mipha took a seat on the lip of its spout, the stone still dripping with pure dam water.

"You could have warned me," Link said with a grin as he sat down, although he was partially glad that she hadn't.

"I thought it was rather fun," Mipha responded, flashing him a quiet smile as she sat down half a foot away from him. "Besides, Ruta enjoyed your reaction." Link laughed quietly and shook his head, sending droplets of water everywhere, prompting a small squeal from Mipha.

"Ruta seems to have it out for me, doesn't it?" he said lightly, casting a quick glance back at the pulsating blue eyes of the majestic machine. Mipha smiled shyly and unconsciously rubbed her right arm.

"Ruta is very protective of me, and of the bond we share," Mipha admitted, averting her eyes abashedly for a second. "She tends to be a tad jealous when… whenever anyone _else_ bonds with me." Link understood her meaning, and he leaned over to give her a playful shove in acknowledgement. Mipha smiled back at him gratefully, but her eyes flickered down to his injured arm as he bumped her. "Why don't you let me heal that for you?"

Link obediently lifted his arm for Mipha, who wrapped her hands around it very slowly and deliberately. Her red scales were slick against his skin, but also warm and comforting. Mipha's touch was familiar enough, but when the light of her healing magic began, Link was almost instantly reminded of his childhood. Memories of childhood adventures flooded his mind, of climbing up Polymus Mountain with Sidon and Mipha, playing pranks on the odd Lizalfos that happened to wander through. He remembered trying to learn how to swim up waterfalls on his own, and failing spectacularly. He remembered hiding out in a cave with Mipha for the night after a thunderstorm from out of nowhere forced them to take shelter. He especially remembered how much he had appreciated Mipha's warmth that night, and how calming her quiet breathing was when she fell asleep on him, just moments before he did the same.

Link cherished, and would cherish, every moment he had with Mipha from as early as he could remember to the day they died.

"I was thinking…"

Mipha's pensive voice brought Link from his thoughts, and he turned his head up from the ground to look at her. Her gorgeous amber eyes were fixed on his arm, and a barely noticeable smile was on her lips.

"… this reminds me of the time we first met."

Ah, so _that_ was why he'd had a sudden onset of childhood memories. Mipha channeled her empathy and emotions into her healing magic to make it stronger, but some residual emotion occasionally drained into her patient if they were strong enough.

"You were just a reckless child," Mipha said, her head fins swaying in the elevated breeze, "always getting yourself hurt at every turn. Every time, I would heal you, just as I'm doing right now." Link decided to stay quiet as Mipha continued to talk and reminisce; she was quiet around him when they were with the rest of the Champions, so it was nice to hear her speak her mind without fear.

"I thought it funny how, being a Hylian, you looked grown up so much faster than I did." Mipha went quiet for a brief moment, and Link caught the tiny tremor of fear in her voice; fear of the day he left the Domain to join the Hylian Royal Guard. It had been a heart-wrenching day for the both of them, although neither of them had known how much they truly cared for each other at the time.

"I was… I was always willing to heal your wounds. Even back then." Link watched as his wound disappeared completely, the remnants of Revali's strike erased from his skin and muscle completely. Even as Mipha moved her arms away and ceased her magic, Link's mind was more preoccupied with Mipha's suddenly somber tone.

"So if this Calamity Ganon does, in fact, return, what can we really do?" asked Mipha, almost speaking to herself as she bowed her head to stare and the ground. "We just don't seem to know much about what we'll be fighting against." Link glanced up at Mipha, but her eyes were still unfocused and distant. _Is she okay? She normally isn't so somber for this long…_

"But know this;" Mipha continued, and Link heard a bit of her empathetic steel crawl its way back into her voice, "that no matter how difficult this battle might get… if you—," Mipha finally turned to look at him, her eyes wide and filled with determination. "—if anyone ever tries to do you harm, then I will heal you. No matter when, or how bad the wound… I hope you know that I will always protect you." Emotion threatened to break Mipha's voice, and her amber eyes were showing stress fractures from trying to keep her voice level. The Zora healer turned her head down to stare at her hands, her silver armbands glinting in the light of the sun.

"Once this whole thing is over, maybe things can go back to how they used to be when we were young… You know…" Mipha looked back up at Link with yearning wistfulness and hopeful determination in her voice. "Perhaps we could spend some time together."

Mipha looked so adorable as she finished speaking that Link was gripped by a sudden compulsion to hug her. He wrapped a secure arm around her waist and pulled her body close against his. The Zora girl was flushed with just as many emotions as he was, and she returned his embrace desperately, as though they would both blink out of existence at a moment's notice. He felt Mipha bury her face into his chest, and he reciprocated the gesture by nuzzling her head. Link's Champion's Tunic was already thoroughly soaked, but he could feel new dots of warmth bead up around where the Zora girl's eyes were. Link had already known how much they cared for each other, and yet hearing Mipha reiterate it always sent a bolt of caring through him.

"I just want…" Mipha's voice quivered with fragile emotion but was also laced with helpless confusion. "I just want… I…" Link squeezed her tighter, and a shot of ecstatic warmth shot through him. The Hylian knight perfectly understood her confused desperation. With everything that was going on, and the suddenness of their cross-country sojourn across Hryule, Link almost felt like he was sliding down a slippery slope, scrambling for purchase. He knew his responsibility. He knew it was his duty to carry the Master Sword and to slay Ganon. He knew it well, and he would carry it out without question, without hesitation, for the good of the kingdom.

But Goddesses, did he not want to.

Link longed for a simple life, quiet and secure. One where the only adventures he went on were those he sought out himself. One where he could live in the Domain with his closest friends and family, where he was free of—wait.

Mipha was kissing him.

The sensation of a pair of soft white lips pressing gently against his was unmistakable, and it completely derailed any coherent line of thought the Hylian had been analyzing. His eyes went wide for the initial moment of shock, but the calming wave of compassion that resonated throughout his body soon forced them to close. There was an odd tang to Mipha's lips, almost like salt water but not quite; somehow it was more comforting than that, like… like… well, it was honestly like nothing he'd ever experienced. The brief thought crossed Link's mind that kissing Mipha would be unlike doing it to anyone else, and that thought was comforting. The world began fading around him: the breeze, the hard stone he was sitting on, the way his damp tunic clung to his body, and eventually even the kiss itself. Link felt warm, safe, and content, but above all else he felt at peace.

The two kept their lips together for as long as they had oxygen to burn in their lungs. When they finally pulled apart after Hylia knew how long, Link leaned his head down further to rest his forehead against hers. Their noses brushed together occasionally, and Link could feel Mipha's heavy exhale against his lips, leaving them with a tantalizing tingle.

"I love you, Link," Mipha whispered quietly, her words catching on her impassioned breathing. "You-you know I always have. I-I'm sorry for ranting. I just want… I-I…" Link cut her off with another kiss, this one much shorter than the first but still just as meaningful. He could feel Mipha relaxing in his grip, practically melting against him; he was probably doing the same to her. When he pulled away again, he went back just far enough to see into her eyes. They were brimming with tears, likely a mix of confusion, love, happiness, and fear all at once. But they were also hopeful, hopeful for a time where they might have a future together. For a time where they didn't have to be confused, or worried, or uncertain.

"I do too, Mipha," Link whispered back, his own eyes starting to mist up, and his throat was staring to get choked up with the same emotions that were spilling out of his eyes. "I just want that, too."

Vah Ruta trumpeted deafeningly into the bright afternoon, doing its best to ward off all the demons that threatened its pilot and her lover. It was just enough to make them both forget, if only for a moment.

_We just want to be together,_ they both thought independently of each other. _Is that too much to ask?_

Sometimes, the world made it seem like it was. However, in moments like those where they were allowed to simply be themselves around each other, it didn't seem so impossible after all.

/-\\-/-\\-/-\\-/-\

Zelda and Daruk made their way down to the viewing area; it was a collection of pools that Daruk assumed were used for the Zora to sleep in, but they had been repurposed to accommodate more people. A few rows of chairs were also dotted around the open area, apparently for those who didn't want to view from the pools. A makeshift stage had been set up on the edge opposite the entrance, with the bannister and balcony that was behind it providing a nice, picturesque background to what was essentially a giant curtain. Looking around, Daruk saw that some glow-in-the-dark snails were also crawling around the area, although no one seemed to mind at all.

"Tonight's Zora Show begins _sooooooon!_ Please take your seats!"

"Seats!"

A pair of enthusiastic Zora walked up to Daruk and Zelda, one with blue scales and the other with brown; the blue one had been the one to speak, and the brown one had strangely decided ot just parrot the other's last word. They both flashed accommodating smiles and the gestured, in unison, at the seating/floating area. Daruk smiled back at them, as did Zelda, but their smiles faded a bit at they looked around and realized that there were no open seats left; either in the pools or in chairs.

"We seem to be lacking seats," Zelda said to the pair, her brow furrowed. The pair still beamed at them innocently, the blue Zora speaking first once again.

"Yes, take an open seat, pleeeeeease."

"Pleeeeeease!"

"There are… _no_ open seats," Zelda repeated, a mite of annoyance creeping into her voice, although Daruk could tell she was trying her hardest to be civil. "We need more." The blue Zora's face fell a tiny bit in exaggerated pity, and the brown one's followed suit.

"Oh, dear guest, I feel for you, but there's naught that I can doooooo."

"Oooooo!"

Zelda's annoyance peaked, and Daruk would be lying if he said he wasn't annoyed either. "Could ya just try an' find a new seat for us?" Daruk said preemptively, not wanting Zelda to go off the handle like he feared she might. "I get the feelin' you're not really listenin' to us."

A third Zora appeared suddenly, this one slightly older than the other two with scales colored green. He seemed to sense the slight tension and turned to face the whole group. "Is there a problem?"

The blue Zora sighed with relief at the sight of the new one. "Oh, boss, phew! These guys…"

Suddenly, the parrot Zora cut him off, picking up speed as he continued. "So, these two galoots here, right? They're all like, we have no seeeeat, no seeeeat! And they won't shut up! But they won't stop, and we're all, we just can't do it, buddy, ok? So we have no idea what to do. And this lug's getting surlier, he's not going away, and they have no seat! Nothing! Not a chance! So we do some solid thinking and totally fail. No dry seats! I mean, we've got pool seats, we can do a pool seat, sure, but this's guy's a rock, he's not gonna float in a pool seat. Please! And it's kinda bugging me, 'cause I'm on my feet all day, I mean, I'd LOVE to sit in ANY seat! It's like, hey, pal, how about you do our job, just once, y'know, it'd break him in two seconds! I work hard, boss, real hard, and this dude sits through life? It makes me ill, all the suffering in the world, and this guy's seating problem is urgent? Noooooooo!" The brown Zora looked around at the shocked faces of Daruk, Zelda, and the other two Zora workers. "Oooooooo!" she echoed.

"Uh… right. Gotcha," said the Zora manager slowly, adding a quiet 'whoa' under his breath. Then he turned to face Daruk and Zelda. "Um… so, the issue here is that these guests lack seats?"

"Yeah, that's about the problem," Daruk said, scratching the back of his head and wincing. "The King mentioned that he had some seats for us…" A brief moment of confusion lapsed over the manager's face before brightening with realization.

"Lord Daruk? Ah, and Princess Zelda!" said the green Zora, apparently having not recognized them before. "How stupid of me! I was just handed your names! King Dorephan has arranged special VIP treatment for the both of you! Only the finest, of course. Allow me to guide you to your special seats!" The Zora stepped back and heaved a ginormous breath and motioned for Daruk and Zelda to step aside, before shouting at the top of his lungs. "Prepare the VIP SEEEEEEEEEAT!"

The floor beneath them rumbled suddenly, and the two VIPs stumbled away from where they were standing. The floor split open, retracting two panels and revealing a dark hole. A platform rose dramatically from the floor, and Zelda gasped quietly beside Daruk as their seats appeared before them. For Zelda, an ornate throne-like seat was on the right, painted gold and white and fitted with what looked like really comfortable cushions. Daruk's seat, on the left, was a slab of granite.

"Great!" Daruk said with a grin, eagerly moving over and settling in on his 'seat' while Zelda settled into her own beside him. "Thanks a ton, guys." The trio of Zoras nodded respectfully and backed away towards the rear of the makeshift theatre. Daruk looked over and Zelda and grinned at her. "So how're you enjoying your dose of Zora culture?" Zelda rolled her eyes, but thankfully she could tell that he meant the comment in jest.

"I might have to speak with King Dorephan about, erm… work conditions for his subjects," she said with an amused grin. "I must say, I have never seen such an impassioned… whatever that was." They both chuckled and Daruk shook his head.

"Well, I'm glad you're lettin' yourself enjoy all this," Daruk said casually while they waited for the show to start. "It'd be really easy to just get annoyed at everythin'." Zelda chuckled ironically and sighed quietly.

"I may as well enjoy myself while I can," she said. "After all, it would be of no use to anyone if I expressed discontent…" Daruk's brows furrowed at hearing the Princess' resigned, but somehow not entirely bitter, voice. He sensed that Zelda needed someone to talk to about whatever she was hinting at, but he decided against probing further. It wasn't the right place, and Urbosa was likely to have a much better chance at pulling out some genuine conversation with the girl.

"And now, without further ado, the ZORA SHOOOOOOOW!"

"Ooooooo!"

,em>Bein' serious can come later, Daruk decided as the lights dimmed and the quiet chatter of the theatre quieted. _Right now, all we need to do is enjoy ourselves._ And enjoy themselves they did.

/-\\-/-\\-/-\\-/-\

Revali leaned against the side of Mount Polymus' peak, glaring down at the empty path that led back to the Domain. He'd been waiting just below the Lynel's territory for Urbosa to arrive. The pair had, after they'd finished bickering long enough to breathe, decided to race each other up the mountain. It had been an effortless flight up, especially with the help of the updrafts he summoned. _She never stood a chance,_ Revali thought as he waited, idly toying with the end of his bow. _Why even make a challenge like that if you've absolutely no chance of winning?_ It was just another thing about Urbosa that he'd never have a chance of understanding.

_"Tyyyyyyym!"_

A melodic cry startled the Rito Champion out of his musings. Looking down at his feet he saw an odd creature staring back up at him; it almost resembled a mutated tadpole. Its face was a light tan, but its features were surprisingly anthropomorphic, complete with eyebrows over the eyes. It was essentially just a ball with a little blue flipper sticking out of its rear, and the creature hopped up and down, chirping at Revali excitedly.

_"Pole tym tym pole!"_ The creature kept chirping up at him, as though it wanted him to do something or go somewhere. Revali was curious for a moment, but it soon faded as he remembered that he was waiting for Urbosa. The last thing he needed was to be led away by some odd creature only to return to find a peeved Urbosa for 'abandoning her'. As such, Revali shook his head at the creature.

"Beat it," he said, jerking his head at the small tadpole creature. The animal in question simply stared back up at him innocently, as though it hadn't heard him. Revali frowned and uncrossed his wings, waving them at the creature.

"Go away. Shoo."

_"Tyyyyyyyym!"_

"What part of go away don't you get?"

_"Pole tym tym."_

Revali's frown soured into a scowl, and he knelt down to push the tadpole away. The creature was faster than him, though, and bounded out of his reach with ease, still chirping its song. Revali actually growled, and was debating whether or not to draw his bow when the tadpole creature spontaneously decided to hop away, disappearing further up the mountain's peak, still chirping in a carefree sort of way that Revali found absolutely obnoxious.

"Learn to keep a lid on it, why don't you?" snapped the Rito at the receding creature. He straightened himself up and nodded triumphantly, when—.

"Do I even want to know?"

Revali did his best to remain as civil as possible, although the tadpole creature had worn his patience a mite thinner than normal. "No, I don't imagine that you do," he said as he turned to face Urbosa. The Gerudo was breathing heavily, and her face gleamed with sweat and grime. A few strands on her crimson hair had come away and matted themselves on her cheeks and ears. The burn marks on her shoulders were healing slowly, and they didn't seem to hurt her even after climbing an entire mountain. Revali continued to stare until a cough from Urbosa brought him back, and he did his best to make his recovery seem casual. If her smirk was anything to go by, she knew better than to believe that.

"Well, I suppose I'll have to leave you to your insanity, then," Urbosa said dismissively as she walked past him towards the peak. Was it him, or was she intentionally putting a bit more sway into her hips as she passed by him? _I am going to stop that train of thought right there and sabotage the tracks so it never goes anywhere for the rest of my life._ "Perhaps you could try talking to the Lynel, as well. I'm—." Urbosa's playfully confident persona was suspended for a moment as she erupted into yet another coughing fit, and Revali's eyes narrowed in suspicion.

_She's been doing that quite a bit today,_ he thought, recalling the audience they'd held with Dorephan and how often she'd coughed. _I wonder…_

"If we're talking about things we'd prefer to ignore," Revali said once Urbosa had finished, walking a bit faster to catch up with the Gerudo, "then what's with your cough? Don't tell me you're ill. I'd hate to have to drag your sniffling body back down the mountain."

"Why not keep ignoring them?" Urbosa said with a defensive ring resonating in her tone. "I'm not sick. I'm fine."

"Mipha mentioned something about infections getting into your burns. Are you _sure_ that—?"

"For Dinsake, Revali, just let it go."

The Rito archer wanted to push the issue desperately, just to see Urbosa squirm for once instead of himself, but something in the Gerudo's tone stopped him. It wasn't invitingly teasing like most times before, where she said one thing but clearly meant another. Instead, it sounded like Urbosa _actually_ wanted him to drop the topic to spare her pride or something of the like. That left Revali with an interesting predicament… would he let it go?

What reason could he possibly have to not rag on her about her trying to cover up something as innocent as a cough? Just because she asked him not to? Considering how often _she_ disregarded his wishes, there was a fat chance of that happening. But, then again… Revali remembered his conversation with Mipha in the infirmary. The Zora healer had told him, among other things, that if he wanted to break their little cycle of never-ending misery, _he_ had to be the one to initiate it. _He_ had to prove that he was the better person by backing down first and trying to improve. The idea still sounded like a terrible one to Revali but, then again, anything was better than constant bickering.

"Fine, have it your way," Revali said as the summited the last false peak, opening them to the clearing on the top of the mountain. Urbosa gave him a surprised glance, and the archer did his best to ignore the gratefulness that rested in her jade eyes. To distract himself, Revali busied himself with drawing his bow, idly plucking at the string.

"Thank you, Revali," she said in a quietly fascinated tone, drawing her scimitar and shield as she did so. For once, Urbosa seemed to be at a loss for words.

"Don't get all chummy with me," he said, trying to stamp out whatever was causing the little pinpricks of warmth to grow in his chest. "It's just that we're almost to the Lynel, and I know that wouldn't be enough time to sufficiently humiliate you." Revali tried to keep his eyes focused in front of him, but he still didn't miss the surprisingly genuine smile that tugged at Urbosa's lips.

"How thoughtful of you." Urbosa bumped him with her shoulder playfully, and Revali tried to keep his head from getting too fuzzy.

"And also," Revali continued, not entirely sure why his mouth had chosen that exact moment to stop listening to his brain, "I suppose I like you better when you're not running your mouth." Urbosa took this moment to move a bit in front of Revali and put her shield arm on his shoulder, her eyes reflecting an indescribable emotion.

Revali would have loved to hear what Urbosa would have said. He was sure that it would have been perfectly confusing and potentially humiliating to the both of them, and he would have had another thrilling inner dialogue debating what he should do in response.

None of that happened, however, because a shock arrow struck Urbosa's shield.

Thanks to the earrings Zelda had gifted her back on Dinsday, the shock part of the arrow was negated, but the force was still enough to send the two unsuspecting Champions sprawling to the ground. As they regained their wits, Revali realized that they had been so distracted that they'd walked right into the middle of the clearing in full sight of the Lynel. The beast in question was of the white-maned variety, and it was standing tall on it four hooves about fifty feet away from them. Revali got to his knees just as he saw the Lynel nock another arrow, its tip flashing with lethal electricity.

"Scatter!" he yelled, summoning an updraft and launching himself skyward just in time to avoid the next volley of arrows from the Savage Lynel Bow, as it always fired three at a time. He looked down to see Urbosa duck into a roll, avoiding one of the wider arrows while also getting to her feet. The Gerudo twirled her sword confidently and bull-rushed the Lynel, making sure to keep her shield up. The Lynel reacted by shifting its bow to one hand and drawing its Savage Lynel Sword, a bestial weapon that was as large as a person's torso. Urbosa was forced to divert her charge and roll to the side to avoid a vicious downward swing, the blade cleaving the earth at the Lynel's feet like butter.

Revali grit his teeth and glided around so her had a shot at the back of the Lynel's head. He grabbed a fire arrow from his quiver and drew it back, taking a split second to aim before firing. The fire tipped arrow split into three copies, all headed toward the Lynel. The rightmost one missed, but the center one caught the Lynel right in the back of the head. Its incredibly thick mane and skull meant that it wasn't enough to kill, but it had certainly done damage. However, the last arrow streaked straight towards Urbosa, who just barely had time to lift her shield and deflect the projectile.

"WHY THE HELL ARE YOU SHOOTING AT ME?" Urbosa shouted as she evaded once again, Revali wincing sentimentally. "DO I LOOK LIKE A LYNEL, YOU INCORRIGBLE MORON?" He grit his teeth and kept looping over the Lynel's head as it turned to look at him.

"I'm _distracting it,_ woman!" Revali shouted back, pulling himself up into a loop to avoid another volley of shock arrows. At the peak of his loop Revali drew an ice arrow, nocked it, and fired again at the Lynel as Urbosa moved in and dealt a vicious slash to its rear flank. Distracted sufficiently, all three of Revali's arrows struck their mark, one on each shoulder and the third in the center of its massive chest, freezing them all momentarily. "You happy now?"

"Hardly!" Urbosa immediately sprang forward, throwing herself onto the Lynel's back and mounting it like the kingdom's most dangerous horse. She began walloping on the beast's upper back and neck with her sword, breaking the ice as she did so. The white-maned Lynel bucked her around frenetically, but Urbosa kept her grip steady, her powerful legs clenching tightly around the beast's back as she continued to deliver slash after slash with her sword, and the occasional shield bash as well. Just when it looked like the Lynel was about to throw her off, Urbosa lifted her knees and jumped, using the Lynel's momentum to send her into a graceful backflip, landing safely on her feet with her weapons in hand and fiery determination in her eyes.

So distracted was Revali by his fellow Champion's acrobatics that he almost didn't notice the Lynel draw its bow and fire a third round of shock arrows at him. The Rito archer folded his wings back into a steep dive, dodging the arrows and barely able to stop himself from becoming a feathery smudge on the top of the mountain. Deciding to put his momentum to good use, Revali kept his speed up and flew low to the ground, headed straight for the Lynel's face. Just before impact, he flipped his body around so he was going talons-first, the sharp claws on his feet latching into the Lynel's face, prompting a roar of pain.

Revali's plan called for him to fire a point-blank volley of arrows at the Lynel while latched on but, unfortunately, the Rito's plan wasn't contingent on the Lynel having arms. Growling angrily, the Lynel grabbed Revali and tore him free from its face with a single tug from both its arms, rendering him helpless in its ironclad grip. Revali cried out in pain as the Lynel squeezed his torso, probably breaking a few of his ribs. The Lynel lifted the Rito in the air and tensed its leg muscles just as a clear sound pierced the air.

_***snap*** _

_Oh, no._

_***THROOOOOOOOOOOM*** _

A bolt of lightning appeared out of the cloudless sky just as the Lynel lunged forward to dodge, striking the ground and just barely avoiding the strike. Thankfully, the movement loosened the Lynel's grip on Revali and he was able to break free, dashing away to land next to Urbosa, who was panting heavily.

"How did it know to do that?" he asked, looking over at the Gerudo, who suddenly looked much ore fatigued than she had a second ago.

"Too smart," Urbosa said with a gasp, before collapsing to her knees and coughing violently. While she recovered, Revali grabbed a bomb arrow and shot it at the Lynel without looking, smirking a little when he heard the explosion accompanied by an infuriated cry of pain.

"Could you do it again?"

"Maybe— _*cough*_ —maybe one more."

_***RRRRRRRRUMBLE*** _

A clap of thunder sounded suddenly, and Revali felt drops of rain land on his head. Looking up, he saw that dark clouds had formed over the mountaintop from seemingly nowhere, and the rain picked up to a heavy drizzle in almost no time at all.

"Is this you?" he asked, raising his voice to be heard over the rain, glancing back at Urbosa. The Gerudo warrior in question shook her head.

"I only do lightning bolts," she said, wiping rain from her brow while still breathing heavily, although now she could stand. "Storms are— _*cough*_ —something else entirely. I've no idea where this came from."

From fifty yards across the clearing, the white-maned Lynel roared angrily; it was done playing games. The beast stored its weapons on its back and leaned its torso over to stand on all six limbs, pawing at the ground and ready to charge. The rain intensified, and their visibility began to lessen. The Lynel was now just a dark silhouette against the muted gray of the rainstorm that had enveloped the battleground.

"Do it now, Urbosa!"

"I can't see where I'm aiming!" she shot back, squinting her eyes to try and keep the water out of them. Urbosa coughed heavily again just as Revali saw a flicker of movement from the Lynel; it was charging. Revali was about to bark another order at Urbosa, but the Gerudo had already decided to try another bolt. She extended her hand, pointing to the rough location of the Lynel, and snapped her fingers again.

_***snap*** _

_***THROOOOOOOOOOM*** _

_"GROOOOOOOOOAR!"_

A brilliant flash of light illuminated the battlefield for just a moment, and both Champions watched as Urbosa's lightning bolt hit true, frying the Lynel on the spot and killing it instantly. There was no time to celebrate, however, as Urbosa collapsed on the ground. Her hair sagged and clung to different parts of her body as they rain continued to worsen.

"We have to get out of here!" Revali shouted, shaking his head to get the water off it. Urbosa didn't respond, instead remaining on her knees and coughing, barely able to put away her weapons. Reaching down to shake her shoulder, Revali was surprised to feel how warm her skin was; unnaturally warm. ,em>She has a fever, he realized suddenly. _The cold rain plus her burns and whatever infection crawled its way into her, then using her lightning twice in a row after climbing a mountain and fighting a Lynel… Farore, its incredible that she lasted as long as she did._

Revali knew he had to get them out of the storm; in calm conditions, he could have flown her off the mountain, but not when visibility was just two feet during a torrential downpour. He'd have to find a cave and hope it was suitable enough for them to wait out the storm in. The Rito reached his arm under Urbosa's and tried to heft her onto her feet, but he winced in pain as his ribs cried out in protest. He tried again, and this time managed to get them both upright… but Urbosa could barely carry herself, and she tugged down on Revali like a sack of bricks. Regardless, he steeled himself and hobbled along, hoping he wasn't leading them off a cliff.

Urbosa's head lolled against his, and Revali let out an annoyed huff, trying to go at the fastest pace that his screaming ribs would allow. The Gerudo that lay on his shoulder nearly was comatose as she mumbled something into his ear, but the rain drowned it out. Even if he had been able to hear it, Revali wouldn't have had the breath to respond. Every step felt like he was being stabbed in the gut with a lightning bolt, but Revali pressed on through the pain, gritting his beak harshly. _I will not be defeated by some rain and a broken rib, he thought with determination._

Urbosa's deadweight lessened suddenly, as though she had suddenly found her feet. Revali found that he was able to walk faster now that is burden was lightened. "It's about time you carried your weight," Revali muttered ironically, although he knew no one would be able to hear him. "Can't do _everything_ for you…"

The pair of battered Champions wandered around for Farore knew how long. Eventually, they found a cave along the path, and Revali didn't even bother checking whether or not it was occupied. His feathers were completely soaked through with cold rain and his ribs were getting worse with every cursed step he took. The second they were inside, Revali set Urbosa down against the direst wall he could find as gently as possible; actually, he pretty much just dropped her unceremoniously against the wall but, given the circumstances, it was the thought that counted. Revali practically collapsed right next to the Gerudo, but he forced himself to stay conscious. _Okay, planning,_ he thought through his painful daze. _I need to figure out how to get us dry, first, or we might get hypothermia…_

"I'm sorry."

Revali closed his eyes and sighed tiredly. "Listen, Urbosa," he began, grunting under his breath as his ribs twinged painfully. "I don't have the… the energy to do this right now. Can we save the existentialism for… never?"

"I'm not Urbosa. I did help you carry her back, however."

Revali's eyes snapped open in alarm. Directly in front of him was the tadpole from earlier, still grinning at him and hopping excitedly.

_"Tym!"_

"AUGH!" yelped Revali, scrambling against the wall he and Urbosa were propped up against. The tadpole didn't react to his outburst apart from letting out a happy gurgle. Revali stared at the creature with wide eyes, trying not to make any more sudden moves, as though he were staring down another Lynel instead of an infant tadpole. "Can you… talk?"

"Yes, but I'm afraid you can't understand him."

The voice from before spoke again, and Revali's panicked eyes shifted upwards to see a person standing in front of him. His eyesight was a tad blurry from his fatigue and the rain, so all he could really tell about the stranger was his male-sounding voice and green hair. The man knelt down and the tadpole hopped into his arms obligingly. "It's a shame," he continued. "Most people can't."

"Who are you?" Revali snapped as threateningly as he could. Seeing as how he was pretty much incapacitated, the only defense he had was any intimidation he could muster. He knew it was ridiculous, but it was all he had at the moment. The stranger smiled at him and nodded his head, unperturbed by Revali's unpleasantness.

"My name is N," said the man, and the tadpole in his arms chirped in what almost felt like confirmation. "I must apologize to you both again. The storm was my doing."

_"You_ did that?" Revali asked, brow furrowing in suspicion as his vision began to clear. Urbosa mumbled something beside him, but he could hardly make it out over the sound of the rain outside. "How?"

"My friend here used Rain Dance," N said earnestly, moving one of his pale hands to pet the tadpole's head. "I saw Miss Urbosa using attacks similar to the move Thunder, so I asked him to start a rainstorm to boost its accuracy. It worked, from what I could tell, but I hadn't anticipated the storm growing this severe." Most of what N said flew right over Revali's head, but he got the general gist of it. He supposed he should have been slightly more suspicious of the man, but he was too exhausted to care.

"So what, then?" asked Revali wearily, readjusting his back against the cavern walls and titling his head to look past Urbosa and into the wall of falling water that obscured the cave's exit. "Are you stuck here with us, too?"

"It certainly looks that way," N said candidly, casting an uneasy glance outside. "Don't be concerned, I mean you no harm. You and Urbosa should take this time to rest, but I wanted to tell you something first."

"Oh, do you now?" Revali said with fatigued exasperation, trying to chuckle but instead getting a painful cough for his troubles. "And what exactly do you have to say?"

"I'll elaborate when the two of you are better rested," N said with a hint of amusement, "but you both need to tread more cautiously. Think through about what it is you truly want from each other before you charge headlong into the abyss." Revali let loose another painful chuckle, and he felt himself droop over a bit. He stabilized, though, and suddenly he felt a lot warmer when he did.

"What we want from each other?" he asked with heavy skepticism riding his tongue. "You make it sound like we're the best of friends. We hate each other." N chuckled to himself and leaned back against the rock wall opposite of Revali, his stormy eyes alight with subtle enjoyment.

"Is that why you carried her through the rain, despite your injuries?" asked the mysterious man, and it annoyed Revali how much he seemed to be enjoying the conversation. "Is that why you find yourself stealing glances at her? Is that why you're falling asleep on her shoulder?"

"What…" Revali tried to ask what N was talking about, but fatigue decided to overtake him in that moment. The Rito Champion was falling asleep soaking wet, in pain, and in a damp cave with a stranger in the middle of nowhere after having just fought a Lynel. But… he felt warm, too, and he supposed that made up for _some_ of it.

Revali fell asleep with his head on Urbosa's shoulder as N watched them quietly, a tiny smile on his face. Once the Rito was out cold, he looked down to the tympole he held in his arms.

"I don't know about you, but I quite enjoy this group," N said to his companion, receiving a happy gurgle of agreement. The former king smiled once more at the injured and beaten pair, completely and utterly fascinated by how close two people could become just by hating each other.

_It looks like I have my work cut out for me._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love N so much. Can't tell you how happy I was to see how many people recognized him. If you want extra brownie points with me, tell me what game I nabbed that theatre scene from.
> 
> I loved writing the Lynel fight. Those enemies are so imposing and powerful, and it was also fun to have Urbosa and Revali bicker while trying to beat the snot out of it.
> 
> I'm very happy with how the Vah Ruta scene turned out, but I didn't even mean for it to go that far. I was just as surprised as Link was when Mipha started kissing him. It was a nice reminder to myself why I like that ship so much.
> 
> Thanks a million for being willing to read through all of this. I'm getting quite proud of how much this story has grown, and it's been possible only through all of you.
> 
> Have a great day!


	14. In Sickness and In Health

"Mipha, Mipha, Mipha!"

Mipha and Link were on their return from their shared moment atop Vah Ruta when they heard Sidon's excited voice. A permanent smile was etched onto the Zora healer's face, and happy fireworks were still erupting inside her chest as the pair walked hand-in-hand. She still held by her belief that a true relationship needed to be founded on caring about the person instead of the physical aspect, but that didn't mean that a kiss here or there was detrimental or anything… _I don't even know why I'm trying to convince myself of anything,_ Mipha thought to herself. _I suppose I'm so used to having reservations about my feelings that I'm looking for something to doubt._ She smiled and cast a fond glance over at Link.

_I'm both proud and relieved to say that I have no complaints at all._

Sidon ran up to Mipha and hugged her legs, which was something he only did when he was too excited to think about jumping up into her arms. "We just finished the play! We just finished the play!"

"Oh, really?" Mipha said with a smile. The production had been something Sidon had been preparing for over the last two months. The young boy had spent almost every waking moment running around the Domain and practically yelling his lines at the top of his lungs. "I'm sorry I couldn't come and see it. Ruta needed some attention, poor thing." Mipha did her best to refrain from grinning like a lovesick maniac as she felt Link nudge her playfully in the side, but thankfully Sidon took no notice of it.

"It's alright!" said the boy energetically before turning around to point behind him. "The Princess and Daruk came to watch me!" The Hylian royal and Goron approached with matching smiles.

"Yes, it was very entertaining," said Zelda, looking down at Sidon. "I think my favorite part was when the heroic prince tripped and fell during the final battle." Daruk laughed and Link chuckled as Sidon's grin widened. Despite the well-meant prod, Sidon struck a dramatic pose.

"All part of the plan!" he cried, pointing a finger skyward. "The villain was caught off guard so that the hero could save the day!" Mipha knelt at her brother's side and ruffled his head fins.

"Well, I'm glad you enjoyed yourself Sidon," Mipha said with a soft smile, leaning over to kiss her brother's forehead. "I promise I'll come to the next one."

"Yay!" said the Zora prince, pumping an arm across his chest and grinning so widely that his teeth gleamed. Sidon then turned his excited eyes on Link. "Oh, yeah! Dad told me to say that we found something under the big staircase behind Mipha's statue! He thinks you guys should check it out."

Mipha, Link, and Daruk all turned to Zelda, who tilted her head curiously at Sidon. "You found something?" she asked. "Do you know what is?" The Zora Prince grinned and shook his head excitedly.

"Nope!" Sidon then sprinted in the direction of Mipha's statue. "C'mon, let's check it out!" Zelda looked up at Daruk, then cast a curious glance over at Mipha.

"What do you suppose he's talking about?"

"I don't quite know," Mipha admitted, shrugging her shoulders. "Although I do know that my father has ordered an increased effort to find Sheikah relics ever since we found Vah Ruta. Maybe they found something…?" Zelda frowned in thought while Daruk pumped his fists.

"Well, there's no harm in checkin' it out, right?" asked the Goron with a large grin. "Might be somethin' interestin'!" The rest of the group nodded, and they made to follow Sidon to investigate. _I wonder what we'll find…_

/-\\-/-\\-/-\\-/-\

When Urbosa woke up, she wanted to immediately fall back asleep.

A massive headache had decided to worm its way into her head, pounding against her skull like a tribal drum. The fatigue from her lightning strikes had diminished somewhat, but her muscles still ached from the combined feats of climbing a mountain and fighting a Lynel. Chills also wracked Urbosa's body as though she were standing atop the Hebra mountains in her desert attire, instead of curled up in a damp cavern… also in her desert attire.

_Probably have a fever,_ she thought dazedly. Even though she was technically 'awake', Urbosa's sense of touch was dubious at best. She constantly felt cold, and any attempts she made to warm herself up only made her feel even colder. Opening her eyes for too long burned her eyes, but she at least managed to see that the rainstorm outside had let up; it was now reduced to a much more agreeable drizzle.

Urbosa sighed and rested her eyes, leaning her head back against the unforgiving stone walls. _Mipha warned us both; no healing would come from her until we got our acts together,_ she thought through her ill daze. _And of course, my first instinct after that is to go and get myself sick. How could I have been so stupid?_ The self-imposed question sounded like one of those that you'd see in books, where the character and everyone reading already knew the answer and the question was just being asked for added suspense. The problem was, Urbosa really didn't have an answer.

What could even _begin_ to justify her idiocy? Ragging on Revali was one thing by itself. As talented as he was, he also had an unnecessary habit of being completely full of himself at times. Urbosa had no qualms about showing him up every now and then if it meant keeping his ego in check. The Gerudo chieftess usually kept it under control with others; not incredibly out-there, but just enough to get her point across. For whatever reason, Urbosa was now so invested in whatever she was doing to Revali that she was willing to put herself in harm's way. If that wasn't pushing it, she didn't know what was.

The Gerudo warrior probably would have kept running around in mental circles, but her train of thought was interrupted when something moved against her side. Her eyes were slow to flutter back open but, when they did, they glanced down to beside her to find a mound of blue feathers huddled up against her side. Somehow (and Urbosa _definitely_ didn't want to know how), Revali had managed to fall asleep on her shoulder. _Of course._

_I'm not even going to start the internal debate,_ Urbosa decided, closing her eyes again and letting out a quiet sigh. _He's warm, I'm sick, and I'm not moving anywhere for a while anyway. Besides, he's likely still asleep._ Emotional politics were the least of the Gerudo's concern at the moment. Yes, they bickered. Yes, it was unusual for the two of them to share such an intimate position. But Urbosa was sick, tired, and fed up with all the confusion so, as far as she was concerned, she would sit there next to Revali all day if she had to. In fact, just to prove how much she didn't care anymore, Urbosa decided to slip her right arm behind the Rito's back and around his waist. A flare of pain that erupted along her left arm reminded Urbosa of the injury she'd sustained earlier courtesy of a bomb-barrel. _It's lucky he fell asleep on the arm that_ isn't _screaming in pain._

"Oh… _please."_

Urbosa sighed to herself upon hearing the exasperated voice but didn't bother opening her eyes. Her will to act like a sarcastic upstart had been suckled away along with her will to do most everything besides breathe. Revali shifted uneasily beside her, but the Gerudo noticed that he hadn't made any forceful effort to separate himself.

"Would you kindly quit suffocating me?" Revali asked quietly, although still just as annoyed as expected. "Some of us have broken ribs here."

"Some of us couldn't give a damn," Urbosa quipped back, her exhausted tone undermining the rudeness of her words. "Just be quiet and rest for a minute."

"We already rested. We need to get moving if we ever want treatment."

"Mipha banned us from medical care, remember?"

"Forget her ban. I want—."

"Revali," sighed the Gerudo. "Stop for a moment. We need to talk."

"Not this again," replied the Rito beside her with a huff. "What do you want this time: another hissy fit, another fake confession, or another pointless argument? We could try all three if you like." Urbosa rolled her eyes and tightened her grip around Revali's waist to spite him, taking a small bit of enjoyment from the pained yelp he made as she did so.

"Thank you for acknowledging my request and shutting your trap."

"You're insufferable."

"Then why help me?"

Urbosa's words hung in the humid air for longer than she would have liked. She'd intended to beat around the bush for a while to pry away at Revali's brashness, but her less-than-desirable condition left her incapable of such nuance. Not that she was _normally_ very subtle, but that was beside the point.

"What do you mean by that?" muttered Revali, and his tone led Urbosa to believe that he knew _exactly_ what she meant. But of course, the Rito was too prideful to admit that to _himself,_ much less to her.

"You were willing to drag me along after you in a half-conscious daze," Urbosa reminded him, sliding her eyes over to stare at the Rito that she leaned on. "I know you have the 'we're Champions, it's my job' excuse, but don't even pretend that was why. We had to leave the peak as quickly as possible; you weren't considering moral politics, you acted on gut instinct."

"And your point is?"

"Can you give me an actual reason why your instinct was to help me?"

The gentle prattle of rain outside their cave filled the otherwise deafening silence left between the two injured Champions. Urbosa's breath came to her a tad shallow, as though her confusion and uncertainty had taken form and decided to lean all their weight against her.

"I'm done trying to figure out _why,"_ Revali muttered almost to himself, and Urbosa felt him cross his arms as he continued to sit with her. "All _that's_ done for me lately is cause problems and raise more questions than I've ever needed."

Urbosa cast a curious glance over at the archer, scrutinizing his face. His sharp eyes were focused on the far wall of the cave, and a somber frown slashed across his beak. ,em>I suppose I shouldn't be surprised by his response, she thought. _In hindsight, it was stupid of me to assume Revali would have the answer to an emotional question._

"I can almost _hear_ you judging me," Revali scoffed, although his bitterness was undermined by the fact that he still left Urbosa's arm where it was. "Don't try to convince me. If you're so insecure that you have to know the reason for everything, figure it out yourself." The Gerudo warrior rolled her eyes and inhaled deeply. _Don't kill him… he's tired… and in pain… and it'd be more trouble than it's worth to find a spot to bury his body._

Still… Revali's words hit closer to home than Urbosa would have liked; not quite close enough to destroy her house, but enough to mess up the garden and front porch. She usually wasn't one to ask for exact answers to everything but, as usual, her situation with Revali was yet another exception to one of her many rules. It wasn't so much about pride for her, for once. Their behavior was becoming a problem for all parties involved and the sooner they found the cause and dealt with it, the better.

"How about this?" Urbosa asked tiredly, wincing as she adjusted the placement of her injured left arm to drape it across her navel. Revali sighed quietly beside her, but he held his silence. "We each get to ask each other two questions. No refusals. No bending the truth. Complete transparency." Revali scoffed, but the noise wilted into a groan of pain, likely from his still-sensitive ribs.

"And why exactly do you think I'd agree to that?" asked the Rito, tilting his head to the side to cast a tired stare her way. Their faces were rather close, and Urbosa could smell Revali's sharp scent of safflina even through the musk of the cavern. "A heart-to-heart is the least practical thing to do now."

"Are you sure you want that to be your first question?" Urbosa asked with a dry chuckle, inconspicuously shifting her right arm against Revali's side to be a tad more secure. "I'll answer it, if that's really the case…"

"Yes, actually," Revali said, and Urbosa was taken aback by the direct tone the archer's voice had suddenly adopted. "You're not one to get sentimental. You've confronted me in the past just so we would stop bickering with each other. Before was a strategic peace offering; this is different, and I want to know why." Urbosa blinked and cast her eyes downward. _It's more of a vague hypothesis rather than a clear-cut answer,_ she thought with an internal wince, _but I suppose I_ did _set the terms._

"Living in Gerudo Town is an intimate affair," began Urbosa, her words slow and deliberate, like a cautious elder trying to assemble a puzzle that's been missing pieces for years. "We don't get many visitors, beyond the occasional trader or traveler. Combine that with a border of sandstone walls and an anti-voe policy, and we're not left with any other choice but to get to know each other. There aren't many secrets that we keep from each other, and our isolation has bred us to trust each other with more than just our lives, but our entire beings. That's partially why not many Gerudo leave the town; the more reserved nature of the rest of Hyrule is quite the culture shock." Urbosa paused for a moment to cast a sidelong glance at Revali, who had been studying the ground intently. His eyes flickered up to meet hers during the silence, then returned to the ground between them.

"All of that is to say that… I'd hoped we could better understand each other," Urbosa said. She drew a deep breath and held it for a moment to steady herself. "I know I've said before that we're quite similar. I suppose this is my way of seeing if I'm right."

_That wasn't quite as hard to say as I thought it would be,_ the Gerudo realized as a weight lifted from her chest. Beside her, Revali eyed her warily. A glint of confusion mixed with something else passed over the Rito's eyes as he regarded her. A strange kind of anxiety closed Urbosa's throat up, and a chilling blanket of dread settled over her. _Goddesses,_ she thought, _I'm actually concerned about what he thinks of me now._

"Your turn." Revali's voice jarred Urbosa back into reality, and she spent a few moments considering what to ask the Rito. She had two chances to understand what made her Rito partner tick, and they couldn't be wasted. ,em>What do I want to know most about Revali? What would help him make sense to me?

"Why do you jump to annoyance whenever we have a disagreement?"

Revali closed his eyes and huffed quietly, as though he'd expected her question. He crossed his wings over his chest, and Urbosa felt his feathers ghost past her fingers that were secured around his waist. "I… well, it's not that…" The Rito tripped over his words and went quiet for a few moments more. Urbosa was already surprised; she wouldn't have been all too shocked if Revali had blurted out some hasty answer and avoided the bulk of the question. Instead, he seemed to be seriously considering what to say. _I'm not quite ready to admit it aloud, but I'm grateful that's he's trying his best._

"It's… easier," admitted Revali eventually, his low voice making the words almost crawl their way into her ears. "To be angry. I'm no longer required to think about why I might be wrong. I… can't afford to be wrong. To be weak. No one…" Revali cast a sidelong glance at Urbosa, his emerald eyes both piercing and terrified at the same time. _A cornered animal._ "No one cared who was until I perfected my skills. I was inconsequential. My success and prowess were what validated me, so they became my only concern." The Rito paused for a moment to heave a disgusted scoff, and Urbosa could feel him wince as his ribs protested. "It's asinine. I was only noticed for my skills, but I'm cast aside for my personality."

Urbosa's breathing slowed as Revali's words hung in the air between them, dejectedly swinging in the light breeze that came from the cavern's mouth. _I don't condemn his conscious choice to be unreasonable,_ she thought, _but I understand why he does it. The fear of being forgotten is a powerful motivator._ The Gerudo warrior was actually rather taken aback by how nearly tragic Revali's story was; he spent so much time, dedication, and effort trying to improve the one thing people cared about him. Then, society pushed him away because of his abrasive personality, something he'd been led to believe was inconsequential.

"Don't give up on your personality just yet," said Urbosa, pausing to release a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. She turned her head to look directly at Revali, hoping that her expression was a tad more sincere than pained. "People will appreciate it if you put in the effort to be better."

"People like who?" asked Revali quietly, turning his head to look back at hers in response. "You?" Urbosa opened her mouth, but the words refused to rise from the depths of her throat and pass through her lips. _Yes,_ a quiet voice murmured inside her head. _Yes, I would appreciate it._ The Gerudo's mouth felt dry suddenly, and she swallowed in an attempt to clear her throat.

"Is that your second question?" she asked slowly, unsure as to why her heart rate had suddenly spiked. Due to their proximity, Urbosa could see the smaller feathers that covered Revali's face and how each one seemed to shimmer its own unique shade of ocean blue. _I'm not sure why I'm noticing that. I need to get a grip on myself._ Revali's brow furrowed for a brief moment, as though he were deciding whether or not getting an answer would be worth asking the question.

"No, it's not," Revali responded finally, voice soft but still firm. "Why did you keep the ribbon on your arm?"

Urbosa was suddenly _very_ aware of the thin strip of blue fabric that was secured around her arm, but she did her best not to give any visible reaction. The truth behind the matter was, Urbosa couldn't bring herself to return the ribbon to Revali now that she knew what it meant. Before, when she'd made the original gift during Dinsday, she had made an earnest mistake, and that she could deal with. Now, however, she was fully aware of what the ribbon represented. In that sense, the answer to his question was fairly simple; _because I don't want to make a false confession of love to you._ Why that was so hard for her to say was beyond her.

_It's hard to say because that's not the reason,_ protested the quiet presence in her brain. _It's not because you don't_ want _to. It's—._

"It's a reminder," she said plainly, casting a glance over at her injured arm in an attempt to distract herself from her thoughts. The scarred gash on her upper arm still pulsed an angry, infected red. Just below it, the scented ribbon that had caused so much trouble rested, securely tied around her injured muscle. "A reminder to myself that I could perhaps be a bit more considerate sometimes."

"Sometimes?"

"Fine. _Most_ of the time."

Revali allowed himself a chuckle, and Urbosa felt a grudging smile slip its way onto her face. The cavern went quiet again as the Gerudo warrior considered what her final question might be. "Before we fought the Lynel, you started asking me about my health."

"Yes…"

"I told you to let it rest."

"… and?"

"And you actually listened. Why?"

Revali paused for a second, eyes shifting back and forth carefully as he chose his words carefully. _There's either a bit of nervousness in his eyes, or I'm projecting my own unease._ "Because I was tired of arguing," he said after a while of thought, "and because I knew we'd be fighting the Lynel soon."

"And is that it?"

Revali met Urbosa's stare evenly; it was the stare of someone who knew very well what they had to say, but also didn't want to. "No," said the archer, furrowing his brows a tiny bit, "but that's a third question."

Urbosa studied Revali's candid expression, internally debating whether or not she should continue probing the Rito. _I really want to grill him,_ thought the Gerudo, _but he's told me enough for today, I suppose._ She was beginning to understand why Revali acted the way he did and because of that, she understood that opening up was difficult for him. He'd literally trained himself to not consider his emotions, so the Gerudo chieftess felt more than justified in letting it go for the moment.

Urbosa let out an amused huff, grinning to hide her considerate pondering. "Touché, my feathery friend," she said, shifting her legs around to tuck them under herself so she could be a bit more comfortable. "I'll find some way to pry an answer out of you eventually."

"Mhm. You're insatiable, aren't you?"

"You know me too well."

The pair of Champions shared a companionable chuckle between them. Urbosa wasn't exactly satisfied with Revali's half-truth and, even though it had been against their agreement, she knew she'd gotten him to open up about much more than she'd expected. The Gerudo had expected him to be more reluctant to just spill out his heart in his first answer, but that didn't change the fact that she was grateful.

_Any progress between us is good at this point,_ thought Urbosa. _At least we're able to stand being around each other now._

Beyond Revali's admission, Urbosa was also surprised by her own willingness to cast an introspective light on herself and share what she saw. _I don't consider myself a terribly closed-off individual… but I hadn't exactly planned on saying as much as I did. I suppose I was encouraged by Revali's own openness… maybe?_

"So…" Revali's voice brought Urbosa from her thoughts, and she felt him shift against her side restlessly. "Now that we're done with that… we should make our way back to the Domain."

"Are you up for it?" Urbosa asked with a raised eyebrow, casting a quick glance at Revali's still-bruised abdomen. The Rito in question returned her skepticism full-force.

"Don't patronize me," he said with a roll of his emerald eyes. "You'll probably pass out from your fever before I succumb to my rib pain." Urbosa grinned and waggled her eyebrows at him.

"Care to make a wager on that?"

"Not on your life," Revali said immediately, chuckling to himself before shifting his feet under him. "Now let me up."

Urbosa withdrew her arm from its place around Revali's torso so he could have full mobility again. The Rito's feathers brushed against the exposed skin on her torso, and a diseased shiver shook Urbosa's body at her newfound lack of warmth. Revali groaned as he forced himself to straighten, visibly wincing whenever his torso turned even the slightest bit. He looked down at her, a tiny smirk tugging at the corners of his beak as he offered a wing to her. Rolling her eyes, Urbosa accepted the gesture with a good-natured smile. Revali gave a strenuous grunt as he supported the Gerudo's weight up off the ground.

Urbosa's breathing was quite a bit more labored than she would have liked, but she set her mind on getting out of the cave and off the mountain instead of reveling in her discomfort. She took a few steps towards the mouth of the cave and cast a cautionary glance back at Revali to check his progress. The Rito made to follow her, but Urbosa could tell that he wouldn't make it very far without doing something to make his ribs worse. The Gerudo swordswoman wordlessly slid her way to Revali's side and threw his left arm over her shoulder to take some weight off his torso.

"I don't want help," said the Rito, but his words lacked their usual boisterous certainty, and he was already shifting some of his weight onto her despite his "refusal" of her aid. Urbosa wanted desperately to tease but she managed to restrain herself, if only because they were both far too exhausted to bother with any more shenanigans at the moment.

"You're welcome," Urbosa said as the injured pair of Champions helped each other down the mountain, and she decided that nothing more needed to be said.

For now, at least.

/-\\-/-\\-/-\\-/-\

"Here it is here it is here it is!"

Zelda's eyes widened, and her breath was stolen away as she saw what Sidon had been talking about. Under the dual rising staircases that met above Mipha's statue, there was a sizable alcove hidden in the space under the stairs. Inside it, situated in the center of a pool of shallow water, was a glowing orange shrine. She had only ever seen one before, deep within the bowels of Hyrule Castle, but that one hadn't been glowing. The one here in Zora's Domain had orange veins that glowed mysteriously in the relative darkness. On the right, a small pedestal had the same symbol as the resting screen of the Sheikah Slate.

"Incredible…" Zelda whispered, stepping into the alcove cautiously, as though any sudden movements would scare the shrine off. The Hylian royal glanced down at Sidon, who was watching all of their reactions intently. "How long has it been glowing like this?"

"It just turned on earlier today!" Sidon chirped. "Seggin was guarding the stairs just before you guys came and said he saw an odd glowing light, and that's when we found the shrine!"

Daruk scratched his beard and stepped closer to the shrine, tilting his head to get a better look at it. "I think we've got one of these things back in Goron City," said the Goron Champion, walking around to one side of the building to inspect it further. "Sure as heck wasn't glowin', though. Wonder what made it do that?"

Zelda's eyes narrowed as she fully processed what Sidon had said. _It just turned on earlier today…_ likely around the same time Zelda had lost the Sheikah Slate to the odd purple cat and the mysterious green-haired man she'd met in the woods. _When he gave me the Slate back, he must have found a way to modify the Compendium's pictures,_ she thought, recalling the extra slot that had appeared for the cat creature's photo. _Maybe he did something to the Slate that caused the Shrines to glow…_ Zelda reached into the bag that hung around her shoulder and pulled out the Sheikah Slate, powering it on as she did so. Mipha came up to look over her shoulder.

"Do you think the Slate is capable of unlocking the shrine's secrets?" asked the Zora Princess. Zelda shook her head in wonder and glanced behind her to look her fellow princess in the eye.

"I certainly hope so," she said. "Let's see what happens if I come closer…" Zelda took one step towards the shrine's base when a panicked voice interrupted their discovery.

"Lady Mipha! Lady Mipha!" A green-skinned Zora man appeared in the entrance of the alcove, panting in exhaustion. "You must come quickly!"

"What is it?" asked Mipha, her hands drifting towards the Lightscale Trident that rested on her back. "What's happened?"

"It's Champions Revali and Urbosa!" said the panicked Zora breathlessly. "They've returned from Polymus Mountain, and they're both extremely injured!" Panic lanced Zelda's heart at the Zora's words. _Urbosa._

"Show me the way!" Mipha broke into a run, prompting Zelda, Daruk, Link, and Sidon to follow suit. The green Zora led the group out of the alcove and around the corner to the left, towards the inn. Inside, Urbosa and Revali each lay on a spacious waterbed. Both their appearances were frayed and dirty, and Zelda could see Urbosa shivering, despite the summer heat. Revali, meanwhile, winced and clutched his torso occasionally and generally looked like he was in a great deal of discomfort.

Daruk quietly thanked the green Zora who'd alerted them of the injuries, and the Goron leaned over to pick up Sidon and put him on his back. "Hey, little buddy," he said to the Prince as he walked away from the inn. "Why don't you, Link, and I go back and check out that shrine s'more?" Sidon chirped his agreement and the two of them left for the shrine, Link beginning to follow. Zelda grabbed her knight by the arm to stop him, earning her a confused glance.

"Take the Slate with you," she said through gritted teeth, unceremoniously pushing it into her fellow Hylian's open hands. "It might help in unlocking whatever secrets the shrine may be hiding." Giving Link the Sheikah Slate was quite honestly the _last_ thing Zelda wanted to do. If history repeated itself, and there was every chance that it would, the shrine would magically open itself for Link because of his wonderful status as the Hero chosen by the Goddesses. She wanted more than anything to be there with her knight and Daruk to observe the process, but Urbosa's condition took precedence. After losing her mother and drifting further and further away from her father, Urbosa was the only family Zelda had left. Zelda had decided long ago that she would not allow someone she cared about to be put second to ambition. The Hylian princess was more than familiar with the consequences of that mentality. She emerged from her thoughts just in time to hear the group's healer speak.

"What have you two _done_ to yourselves?" Mipha asked in quiet shock, something that drew a soft chuckle from Urbosa and a groan from Revali.

"We defeated the Lynel," Urbosa said casually, and Zelda's brow creased in concern at hearing the tiredness in her mother figure's voice. They hadn't lost, but the Gerudo chieftess certainly didn't sound like she felt like a victor.

"What else happened?" asked Zelda. "Surely not _all_ of your injuries came from the Lynel…"

"If you're insinuating that we did this to each other," Revali snapped, "then you couldn't be further from the truth."

"Stand down, Peacock," Urbosa told Revali as Zelda frowned. _"Your_ condition might have been courtesy of a Lynel, but _mine_ was courtesy of infected burns. Which, if you remember, I got while saving _your_ feathery behind." Revali didn't instantaneously combust at Urbosa's rebuttal, mush to the surprise of the two concerned princesses that watched over them. Instead, the archer settled for giving an amused huff and crossing his wings over his chest, albeit not without a pained wince.

_Something else had to have happened on that mountain,_ Zelda thought. _Either that or the injuries are interfering with their normal squabbling behavior._ Mipha obviously thought something similar, because she knelt down by Urbosa's bedside and silently put the back of her hand against the Gerudo's forehead. The Zora healer's brow creased a bit in reaction to her unhealthy body temperature, and there was a moment's stillness before the familiar pale glow of Mipha's healing magic blossomed at the young girl's fingertips.

"You're… healing us?" asked Revali, his words coming out in timid, skeptical chunks. "I'm surprised you don't have another scolding prepared." Mipha frowned, but she didn't stop her healing magic.

"I don't quite know what happened to make you both this injured," said the Zoran Princess, lifting her gaze briefly to meet Urbosa's complexed stare, "but I believe somewhere along the way whatever happened forced you two to get along, if only for a while."

Revali simply laughed aloud, although his sardonic mirth was undermined by the groan of pain he emitted following it. Urbosa, on the other hand, cast a quick glance over at Revali before looking back at Mipha, who was smiling to herself. Zelda was inclined to disagree with Mipha's statement, but the increasing size of the Zora's smile made her doubt her first opinion. _They haven't acted all that different from our arrival at the Domain to now,_ thought the Hylian royal. _In fact, Mipha and I haven't even seen very much of them besides a sentence from each of them since their return._ Despite all that Mipha had, somehow, concluded that Urbosa and Revali had changed their outlook on each other in the short time they'd been away on the mountain.

"The first thing we did when we came back was have a disagreement on how we got injured," Urbosa said slowly. "That's not exactly what I'd call 'getting along with each other'. We haven't undergone much of a change, I'm afraid." Mipha's smile only widened further, and she beamed innocently up at her Gerudo patient's befuddled expression.

"If that's what you want us to believe…" The Zora princess shrugged and allowed herself a small giggle. She looked over at Revali, who was doing his best to look indignant instead of like a toddler that had been caught with their hand in the cookie jar, and Mipha winked at him. "… don't worry. I won't tell the truth."

Revali looked away in an uppity scoff, and Urbosa brought her hand to her chin and fixed Mipha with a rather soul-piercing stare. Zelda simply watched in fascination as Mipha moved from the Gerudo to the Rito, the Zora still grinning to herself wildly. Unbidden, the words of the green-haired stranger surfaced in her mind; how he'd spoken about friends and how the bonds they shared with each other could make up for the gaping hole left behind by the loss of family.

_I need to talk with Mipha sometime soon,_ thought Zelda as she knelt by Urbosa's bedside and took the older woman's hand in hers. A warm flutter lighted in her chest as her mother figure's slim fingers wrapped around her own and gave a gentle squeeze. The gesture was accompanied by a Gerudo smile that could thaw a glacier and an almost imperceptible murmur of gratitude. The beginnings of a smile began to creep its way onto Zelda's face.

_I want to learn how to be in a family again._


	15. Unwavering Emotions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter title references FTW.

Link walked out of the room behind Daruk and Sidon, casting a concerned glance back at where Mipha was treating Urbosa and Revali. Truth be told, he was glad for the out Daruk had offered him. The _last_ thing Link wanted to be involved in was Urbosa and Revali's… whatever it was. Relationships, either good or bad, were tricky enough on their own. Heck, Link and Mipha were mutually in love with each other and even then they'd had some obstacles (self-imposed though they were) to overcome. When you were as volatile as the Gerudo and Rito Champions? Yeah, _no._

Sheikah Slate in hand, Link followed Daruk and Sidon around the corner of the alcove and stood in front of the shrine, which was still glowing orange. Looking down and activating the Slate's screen, Link zoomed in on the regional map to their location and squinted in confusion at what he saw. An odd orange rectangle symbol pulsed on the map right where the shrine was, and a caption on it read _**Ne'ez Yohma Shrine.**_ Suddenly, the Slate beeped at him, and a message box appeared.

_***Connect Sheikah Slate to Shrine terminal.*** _

Link looked over at Daruk, who had been watching over his shoulder while he investigated. The Goron met his questioning stare and shrugged his massive shoulders. "Go for it, little guy," said Daruk, scratching his beard. "If it's tellin' us to do somethin', probably smart to do it…"

"Yes, do it Link!" said Sidon from his perch on Daruk's shoulder, peering down at the Hylian with an ecstatic grin. "Adventure awaits! Let's see what happens!" Link smiled back up at Sidon and nodded, taking the Slate and walking it over to the shrine's pedestal. On it was the Eye of the Sheikah, and the pupil pulsed a gentle blue. Link reached the Slate out, hesitated for a quick moment, then swiped the piece of ancient technology over the pedestal screen side up. All three males held their breath in nervous anticipation; they'd each seen different kinds of Sheikah tech in action, and they wondered what incredible things the Shrine would do once fully activated.

Unfortunately, nothing happened.

"Um…" Sidon's voice broke the uneasy silence that had fallen over the group. The Zora boy squinted down at Link, who held the Slate in his hands rather uncertainly now. "Is it… broken?" Link shook his head slowly. The Hylian knight turned the device over in his hands, checking to see if a component had somehow spontaneously combusted or something of the like. When nothing looked like it was obviously broken or defective, Link turned the Slate back over in his hands and was greeted with another message:

_***Please flip Sheikah Slate over and try again*** _

Link facepalmed, drawing the attention of Daruk and prompting him to walk over so he could read the message over the Hylian's shoulder. The Goron gave a hearty chuckle, and Sidon laughed hysterically from his perch on Daruk's shoulder. Link felt his face heat up a bit in embarrassment. How was he supposed to know the screen was supposed to be face down when you scanned it?

"Well, at least we know it's not broken," Daruk said in between his chuckles. The Goron realized that their amusement was making Link uncomfortable, so he offered a reassuring pat on the back that almost ended up breaking the Hylian knight's spine. _It's the thought that counts, I guess,_ thought Link as he winced and rubbed his aching shoulders in response to Daruk's display of affection.

"Activate it, Link!" cried Sidon energetically, hopping up and down on Daruk's shoulder. "I want to see what it does!"

Turning the Slate over to the correct side, Link moved forward and swiped the device over the Shrine's pedestal for the second time. Immediately, the ancient structure flashed brightly as its glowing orange lights all shifted into a radiant blue. A circle of blue light appeared on the floor under the three males, and the bars that shielded the Shrine's opening swept to the side, revealing a separate platform within.

_***Warp point set***_ beeped the Sheikah Slate, but everyone's attention was still wholly on the newly opened Shrine. All movement had stopped, but there was an enticing energy that called to Link; he felt as though piece of himself lay hidden deep within the bowels of the Shrine. Before any of the two adults could react, Sidon leapt from Daruk's shoulder, did a midair flip, and hit the ground running towards the glowing platform inside the shrine.

"Wait!" Link rasped, reaching out with a hand and using the other to secure the Slate back onto his belt. There was no stopping Sidon, though, and as soon as the Zora boy stepped onto the pedestal a wall of translucent blue light encased him, and the Shrine rumbled. Daruk and Link immediately flung themselves at the Zora prince, but they were too late; the pedestal sank, drawing Sidon into whatever underground horrors awaited at its core with no weapons and no Sheikah Slate to give him instructions.

The Shrine stopped rumbling after a few seconds, leaving no trace that Sidon had ever existed. Link and Daruk stood frozen in place, mortified by a sudden shared fear as they realized their lives may just be coming to an end. The two Champions looked at each other and gulped.

_Mipha's going to kill us both._

/-\\-/-\\-/-\\-/-\

Urbosa and Revali were still resting in the Zora Inn, not that they were injured in any way shape or form. Mipha's healing had more than remedied Urbosa's burns and infections as well as Revali's torso and shoulder pain. However, per Mipha's orders, the two were to remain in the Inn while she and Zelda went to talk to King Dorephan. The conversation went something like this;

_Mipha: Stay here_

_Revali: Don't wanna_

_Urbosa: {smart remark}_

_Mipha: I'll stab you if you don't behave_

_Urbosa and Revali: o_O_

And that was pretty much the end of that.

Urbosa, who was currently laying on a waterbed on her back with her arms folded behind her head, chuckled as she traced the intricate patterns of the rafters with her eyes. "Someone's getting lazy up in the storytelling department," said the Gerudo with a self-satisfied grin. "My dialogue is being cut to just 'smart remark' and an emoticon. I'm outraged, Revali. We should go on strike."

Revali was kneeling on a separate waterbed with his unstrung Great Eagle Bow in front of him. He didn't even cast so much as a glance in Urbosa's direction, but he responded nonetheless. "Please," dismissed the Rito, "don't act like you actually had anything of importance to say during that conversation. 'Smart remark' summed you up fairly well." The Gerudo in question rolled onto her side and propped her head up with an arm, fingers absentmindedly tracing the blue ribbon on her arm as she watched Revali restring his bow.

The archer did his best to ignore her, but her constant staring was beginning to make him a bit nervous. Usually stringing his bow was something Revali did in private; it was actually a rather cathartic and relaxing habit for him, and having an audience wasn't exactly something he was entirely comfortable with. Although bows broke fairly easily, a Rito's relationship with their bow was something extremely intimate and sacred. It didn't feel right, having an outsider (much less _Urbosa,_ of all people) bear witness to such a ritual.

Maybe it was something just for Revali, but stringing his bow had always helped him concentrate. Farore above knew that what he needed right then was some clarity. Everything was coming to a head so violently, far too quickly, and he could hardly understand anything that was going on anymore.

Of course, he meant the hike up Polymus Mountain he'd shared with Urbosa. It was confusing in the typical Urbosa being Urbosa way, but there was a general feeling of unease that stuck with him, filling Revali with an underlying sensation of anxiety that made him feel like he was missing something huge. Some great, big, important detail was screaming in his face and he couldn't tell what it was.

Being around Urbosa was _doing_ something to him, and he didn't like it one bit. Especially after the little talk they'd had in the cave while they'd been injured, and even before that. She had actually wrapped her arm around him, and he'd done nothing to object. He couldn't object. There had been an odd kind of warmth that had paralyzed him, rendering him unable to move away from the Gerudo's touch. It had just felt right, and Revali had been unable to think of a reason for why that was.

Then there was what they had spoken about. Urbosa had volunteered to answer his question first, and she had practically told him her life's story about what culture she came from and why she acted the way she did. It wasn't her asking for forgiveness or trying to apologize for her actions; it had almost been more of an _offering_ than anything else. She'd essentially told him "this is who I am, and you can either take me or leave me."

Then, as if Urbosa's candor had rubbed off on him, Revali actually told her why he chose to be angry. Because, at the end of the day, it was a conscious choice. It was an easy out, and Revali had never felt ashamed for taking the easy way out in regard to dealing with emotions. The world had told him more than enough times that skill was the only thing that mattered, so that was the only thing he put any care into.

Urbosa was making Revali reconsider that policy, and it terrified him.

"You look troubled, Revali."

The Rito in question still refused to tear his gaze away from his bow for fear of becoming distracted by Urbosa's… _everything._ However, that didn't mean he wasn't above raising an amused eyebrow. "Troubled?"

"Alright, perhaps that wasn't the best word for it," conceded Urbosa, and Revali could imagine her shrugging as best she could from her position on her side. "You look… thoughtful. But it's not your usual brand of indignant brooding. Instead it's… rather calm-looking."

Revali held his tongue as he pulled the bowstring taut with a final grunt of exertion before relaxing, his bow finally restrung. He then stood and walked a bit away from the bedside, leaving his bow on the waterbed's surface as he walked towards one of the Inn's railings that overlooked the river. "Caring for our bows is a Rito form of meditation," he said quietly, turning his back to Urbosa and staring out over the Domain so he didn't have to stare into her piercingly attractive eyes. "Forgive me for thinking that I could possibly have a few moments of peace to myself."

"I wasn't attacking you, believe it or not." Urbosa's voice wormed its way into the Rito's ear despite his best attempts to ignore it. A subtle sloshing sound told Revali that the Gerudo behind him had risen from the waterbed. "I was curious. I realize it's mostly my fault, but I rarely ever see you in a state of calm."

The avian Champion allowed himself a soft chuckle as his eyes wandered the picturesque Lanayru landscape. he was doing his damnedest to keep his mind off of Urbosa and all the troublesome thoughts that accompanied her. "There's no reason to be calm," Revali said sardonically. "Haven't you heard? Calamity Ganon might wake soon."

The sound of shuffling fabric came from behind Revali, but he was saved have to turn around to investigate when Urbosa walked over to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with him, leaning her forearms onto the railing and looking out into the distance. "I thought Calamity Ganon was a weakling compared to you," said the Gerudo with an amused lilt to her words. "Don't tell me you've suddenly had a change of heart."

"I just meant everyone _else,"_ Revali replied with a huff, although he suspected that Urbosa had already known that before she'd spoken up. _Vixen._ "Besides, it's not like we have anything to worry about. We have the Princess and her little sword-swinging knight to protect us."

Urbosa didn't miss the acid that ate away at the end of his sentence. "Don't go down that road, Revali," said the Gerudo tiredly, moving one of her hands up to support her chin as she continued to lean over the railing. "We already debated about having to work for our fortunes back in Hyrule Castle."

"You defended only _yourself,"_ Revali said easily, "but there wasn't any mention of our infallible Hylian knight. If you ask me, he's the least worthy of us all."

"Don't be so quick to assume, Peacock," Urbosa quipped softly, keeping her gaze steady on the horizon. "What do you actually know about Link's past? Have you made any attempt to justify your claim that he doesn't deserve the success he's been given?" Revali scoffed to help him ignore the validity of her questions, but he couldn't muster a witty comeback to such a well-founded point. "Get to know people before you make a judgement on them. It helps people like you."

"I don't care if people _like_ me," Revali said, hoping she wouldn't call out his bald-faced lie. "Besides, you're one to talk. From the second we started talking, you were already _so sure_ that I was an irredeemable, egotistical prick."

"You _are_ an egotistical prick," Urbosa said, and Revali's indignance was stemmed by surprise at noticing that the Gerudo hadn't smiled at her own jab; instead, a deadly serious expression had been carved into her caramel countenance. "But you're not irredeemable. I'll admit I thought you were at first, ever since I dragged your drunken tail back from that bar. Then we had that talk on the way to our Dinsday dinner. Then we had our infamous little sparring session that Mipha won't let us forget."

"I wonder why," Revali said dryly. "It's almost as if one of us were asinine enough to summon a lightning bolt onto the other. Oh, wait. You—"

"We talked in the infirmary afterwards," Urbosa went on, ignoring Revali's comments. The Gerudo chieftess hesitated for a moment, then turned her head to look the Rito archer beside her directly in the eye. There was a touch of desperation to her stare, as though her mouth was moving of its own accord. _Don't I know_ all _about that._ "I hugged you."

Revali forced his beak to stay closed with every fiber of his being. He knew that trying to pass a smart remark would only result in him spewing some nonsense that would dig a deeper hole for himself as far as his confusion with Urbosa went. The embrace they'd shared was something he'd tried his best to ignore: everything from how deceptively gentle her touch had been, despite her immense strength, to the odd shivers that had crawled up and down his skin as she'd spoken just behind his ear. Whenever he remembered those details, it made it harder to think straight, made him feel idiotically warm…

"Then there was that fiasco where you ran off because Mipha was snooping, and we both got blown up," Urbosa continued, raising an eyebrow in a way that managed to not look as amused as it did analytical. "Then Mipha chewed us out a second time. We climbed a mountain, killed a Lynel, helped each other down, and now here we are."

"What a comprehensive recap of the last 14 chapters," Revali said tiredly. "And your point is?"

"My point is that we've done all of that together," Urbosa said with a pensive frown, turning away from him to stare out over the railing again. "It's forced me to really consider what I think about you as person and as a Champion."

"Really, Urbosa?" asked Revali in exasperation, hoping his tone would be enough of a hint for Urbosa to drop the subject. An odd kind of anxiety had filled his chest, but it wasn't entirely unpleasant; there was an odd splash of hopefulness to it as well.

"Yes, _really,"_ replied the Gerudo, and Revali noticed the beginnings of a smirk creeping their way onto her face. "Whether you meant to or not, you've shown me more than just the arrogant prick in you, Revali, and I appreciate that. You are cocky to a fault, but you're just as skilled in flight and the bow. You force yourself to be angry, but it's partly because it's the only way you know how to cope." Urbosa paused for a second and sighed quietly through her nostrils. "Turns out, focusing all my attention on trying to tease and annoy you has caused me to notice a few things I wouldn't have otherwise."

Revali held his silence, still not ready to trust himself to say anything beyond a quiet word or two. He did his best to focus on the shifting currents of the river below them and the occasional hopping bass instead of the way Urbosa's hair almost glowed in the sun that poured in, making it look as though a mane of liquid fire had draped itself across the Gerudo's back.

Urbosa turned so that her side leaned on the railing and so she could face Revali, who still did his best to ignore her while still somehow notice every little thing that she was doing. Her expression was cautious, and her emerald eyes were subdued. "I've been treating you horribly, Revali," said the proud swordswoman. The words had a tense quality to them, like they were being dragged out of her mouth by clawshot. "And, much like the problems people have with _you,_ it's inexcusable. I gave you my justification in the infirmary and it is the truth; I do respect you for the hardship you've faced. That still doesn't justify what I've done."

The archer cleared his throat, which was suddenly dry for whatever reason. _Say something. Anything._ "Is this your apology?"

"This is my judgement," Urbosa said firmly, and although he was doing his best not to look Revali could still feel her eyes boring holes into the side of his head. "I'm tired of the uncertainty that I feel when I look at you. I don't know whether to tease you, slap you, ignore you, or hug you. There's at least some mite of evidence that would justify each one of those options. I've decided to choose."

There was a certain weight to Urbosa's words that didn't go unnoticed by Revali. He turned his head slightly and almost jumped out of his skin when he realized that the Gerudo had straightened herself and moved to be right next to him. He resigned himself to glance at her from the corner of his eyes. She'd moved close enough that if he tried to turn to face her, he'd whack her with his beak.

"And…" Revali swallowed again, his throat still dry as a Yiga hideout. _Why in Farore's name am I so nervous right now?_ "Your choice?"

A whisper of a smile passed over Urbosa's lips, and her eyes had returned to their normal playful brightness, but there was an extra depth to them now. She glanced behind him, over at the waterbed he'd been laying on. He turned to follow her stare, but nothing was out of place; his bow was exactly where he'd left it after restringing it. Wait…

"I meant it this time," Urbosa said quietly in Revali's ear, and it was slightly reassuring to find that she sounded just as unsure as he felt. He would have bet money that her expression was fascinating, but the Rito's eyes remained glued to his bow; specifically, one part of it. "Think of it what you will."

With that, Urbosa stepped away from Revali and swiftly walked towards the entrance, stopping just before she could turn the corner to leave. She put an arm on her shoulder and turned her head back to face him, and Revali was finally able to pry his eyes away from his bow long enough to spare a glance at her. Her pose reminded him of the challenge she'd made with him back in Hyrule Castle, after the group had taken a photo with the slate.

"I'm willing to trust you, Revali," Urbosa said softly, almost too softly for him to hear. Her emerald eyes were as profound as they were desperate. "Please don't make me regret it." Then she left, the receding sound of her heels clicking on the smooth stone fading away under the gentle prattle of the waterfalls and rivers that surrounded them.

Revali took a deep breath to settle himself, but it did little to help his growing anxiety. He reached over to pick up his bow, his thoughts in a chaotic turmoil. _This wasn't supposed to happen,_ Revali thought in both disbelief and failed anger. He wanted to be angry with every fiber of his being, but for the life of him he couldn't summon the will to be enraged. Instead, Urbosa's words kept replaying themselves in his head.

_I'm willing to trust you._

The pride of the Rito slung his bow over his back and returned to the railing he'd been standing by, now choosing to lean over the railing and stare out into the beautiful landscape.

_Please don't make me regret it._

"Dammit, Urbosa," muttered Revali, sinking his head into his wings with a hopeless sigh. "You weren't supposed _care."_

_I meant it this time. Think of it what you will._

Revali closed his eyes and did his best to ignore the tattered, bloodied blue ribbon that Urbosa had tied onto his bow, and all the terrifying meaning that came with it.

/-\\-/-\\-/-\\-/-\

Urbosa stepped out of the Inn, took ten strides, then stopped. The Gerudo chieftess let herself slump against the nearest wall, leaning her head back and giving a heavy sigh. She stared up at the empty sky above her and shook her head in disbelief.

"What in Din's name did I just do?" she whispered to herself, even though she knew full well what she'd done. During and after when Mipha had healed the two of them, Urbosa had thought long and hard about what kind of light she saw Revali in. She knew she didn't _actually_ hate him, but that didn't mean she couldn't be annoyed at his egotistical tail every other hour. She'd meant everything she'd said, about not wanting to be confused anymore and making a choice. Basically, Urbosa was done with asking herself rhetorical questions. Now, whenever she asked herself something along the lines of _"why am I acting so stupid?"_ or _"why did I feel the need to do that to him?"_ or _"why the hell did I just think that about him?"_ she had a definitive answer.

And, apparently, that answer was because she cared for Revali.

Urbosa still couldn't quite wrap her mind around the fact that, of all the outcomes and possibilities, that was the conclusion she'd arrived at for her behavior. She was even further surprised by her willingness to spill that little revelation to the Rito himself just minutes after realizing it. _I'm not used to being this vulnerable,_ she thought. _But, then again… neither is he._

"Hello."

Urbosa sprang to attention at hearing the foreign voice, pushing herself off the wall she'd been leaning against and doing her best to look like she wasn't currently having an existential crisis. In front of her stood a man with a think mane of green hair that rivaled hers in fullness, and his sharp gray eyes bore into her flighty emerald ones analytically. It felt as though she were being inspected, but not in a threatening way.

"Who are you?" she asked as casually as possible.

The stranger smiled gently. "My name is N. I wanted to discuss a few things with you."

"Discuss a few things with me?" asked Urbosa, some confidence slipping back into her tone along with her suspicion. "I'm afraid I don't know you."

"I helped you and Master Revali find shelter after the storm on the mountain," said N matter-of-factly. "You were in a delirium from your fever and wounds, but I had a quick conversation with him about the relationship the two of you share."

A flush of embarrassment threatened to make itself known on her cheeks, but Urbosa managed to push it away. "And what relationship do you think we share, exactly?"

N simply smiled at her question, his eyes pleasantly amused. "I'm not quite certain. I told Revali to consider what he truly wanted from you before continuing down the path he was on. Something tells me you've already decided what _you_ want from _him,_ however."

"Why exactly should I be telling you anything about my opinion on Revali?" asked Urbosa, taking a page out of the Rito's book and going on the defensive. With how vulnerable and emotionally frayed she felt in the moment, she was understanding where Revali was coming from when he resorted to that all the time before. "Just because you claim to have helped us on Polymus Mountain?"

The green-haired man laughed good naturedly. "I suppose you have a point there," he said. "What I meant was, I know what it means to be confused about someone who fascinates you."

Urbosa's eyes narrowed, not liking how close this _N_ character was to touching the truth. "Someone who fascinates me?"

"Yes," confirmed N with a sage nod. "I used to know someone, back in my homeland, who opposed me at every turn. No matter where we met or what we were doing, our ideals clashed and our truths warred. It usually led to conflict."

"And this person _fascinated_ you?" asked Urbosa as she slipped a hand down to rest on her hip. The stranger's story was beginning to intrigue her, and she found herself wanting to hear more.

"Of course," said N, a fringe of wistfulness on the edge of his words. "We were so different. Where I waxed lyrical about the virtues of my beliefs, they only ever uttered a few words. I was under the belief that the friends they traveled with hated them, felt imprisoned and restrained. You can imagine my surprise to hear that these friends truly loved to be with this person and claimed that they wouldn't give the adventures they shared for anything in the world."

"It sounds to me like you may have assumed too much," Urbosa said. "So, what happened between you and this person?"

"We continued to disagree, despite the evidence I'd been given contradicting my beliefs," N went on, his eyes unfocusing a tad from their analytical stare. "Eventually, though, I learned to accept that perhaps I wasn't correct after all. The fundamental concept I had used to define this person had shattered completely, and it forced me to rethink what this person meant to me even after they had left for good."

"I'm dealing with something similar right now," Urbosa said, finally letting her guard drop. N told his story very calmly, as though he were reading a quiet book to himself. But there was raw, powerful emotion that simmered just below his calm voice, and it showed in the way he told it. It was as if N relished every memory he had of this unnamed person and consulted them as guidance whenever he felt astray. Such conviction and forthcoming were rare in the world, and Urbosa felt that perhaps she could reciprocate a tiny bit. If not to get some things off her own chest, then at least for the sake of the narrative.

"Oh? How so?"

"Revali has annoyed me since the first moment I met him," said the Gerudo, shaking her head with a quiet chuckle. "We've bickered and shouted and hurt each other. Yet, despite all that, the more time I spend with him, the more I get to know him…"

"You feel drawn to him," N completed simply. Urbosa didn't meet his eyes or verbalize a response, but she knew that her silence spoke volumes anyway. "It's only natural, of course."

"Really?" asked Urbosa with a tired scoff and a shake of her head. "Because I can tell you it sure as hell doesn't feel _natural_ to me."

"You've spent much of your energy and time thinking about Master Revali," N clarified with a knowing smile. "Whether you wanted to or not, you have been studying everything that makes up who Revali is for a long time. Since you're feeling drawn to him, I can only conclude that you've found more than a few similarities between the two of you. Am I correct?"

Urbosa bit her lip for a second, then sighed and nodded her head. "Yes," she said quietly, still uneasy with admitting that fact to herself.

"And the positives outweigh the negatives, don't they?"

"Not quite," said Urbosa with a chuckle, knowing that was _far_ from true. She closed her eyes and shook her head. "But I'm willing to tolerate them."

"Why?" asked N's voice.

Urbosa frowned, and her free hand moved up to her chin in thought as her eyes remained closed. It was a question she'd asked herself _several_ times over the last half hour since their return from Polymus, but somehow it had a different connotation when someone else asked it of her. After a moment of concentration and a few theatrical sighs, Urbosa finally found her answer.

"Because the rest of the world has cast him aside," she said steadily, keep her eyes closed in concentration, as though opening them would let her thoughts escape. "No one else has wanted to give him a chance to prove that he can be a good person because they don't think he deserves one. I know his struggle, because it's the exact one I've had to overcome myself. I genuinely enjoy the moments I spend bantering with him and I see his potential to be a better person as well as his willingness to change and, for that, I… suppose I do care for him."

Urbosa felt a weight lift off her chest as she finished, and she heaved a full and relaxing breath. The stress and tension she'd built up inside herself that had been tying a lead knot around her bosom finally unraveled now that she could finally answer why she felt the way she did about Revali. Urbosa knew that her struggle with emotions were far from over (she doubted that Revali would be so accepting of whatever emotions _he_ felt, given his track record), but it was a tiny bit of a relief to know that she at least had her own head on straight.

"Your heart is in the right place, Urbosa," she heard N say eventually, bringing her from her thoughts. "I wish you well in the trials to come."

"What?" Urbosa opened her eyes and questioned, but by the time she looked up N had disappeared. The Gerudo warrior scanned every bit of the Domain from where she stood but found no trace of the strange green haired man. She put it out of mind; N had helped her with her internal conflict and she was grateful. Sure, he was a little imposing and strange, but that was the least of her worries at the moment.

Urbosa mentally reviewed everything that had happened in the last few minutes with both Revali and N, then she laughed aloud. Her laughs didn't fade for a long time and, when they eventually did, she couldn't help but let a wide grin sneak its way across her face.

_I can't believe I actually fell for that Peacock,_ thought the Gerudo warrior in acceptant bewilderment. _Once he gets over the emotional shock, I swear he's going to be the most insufferable creature under the sun._

Even if he was going to be unbearable, Urbosa had a sneaking suspicion that she wouldn't mind it so much.

/-\\-/-\\-/-\\-/-\

Sidon felt adrenaline and excitement course through his veins as the Shrine's platform continued to lower him into the bowels of his next adventure. Sure, it would have been infinitely more enjoyable if Link and Daruk could have come along but, now that he thought about it, it would still be amazing on his own!

_I will be the first Zora to behold the inside of these ancient marvels!_ thought Sidon ecstatically, barely able to stand still as he fidgeted back and forth. _Think of what unknown wonders lay hidden inside!_ The Zora Prince's thoughts came to a halt as the platform lowered him into an enormous chamber.

The flawlessly smooth walls seemed to climb forever, and they were intricately detailed with odd combinations of dots and lines that almost looked like constellations. There was also a giant slope that had water rushing down it, dropping off into the inky darkness of what looked like a bottomless pit. Enormous stone boulders rolled down the slope and ran into each other and small protrusions in the floor that blocked their progress before making their way to the bottom and rolling over a small walkway and off the edge into the abyss below. Towards the top of the slope sat a series of wire platforms that almost looked like scaffolding, and across the narrow walkway that traced the bottom of the giant slope, there was a receptacle and next to _that_ was an odd cage structure that housed some kind of soft blue glow.

As an amazed Sidon stepped off of the platform, a booming voice suddenly spoke.

_**My name is Ne'ez Yohma,**_ said the voice, its words echoing off the huge walls. _**In the name of the Goddess Hylia, I—**_

Suddenly the voice paused.

_**You are not the chosen hero of Hyrule.** _

"Nope!" said Sidon cheerfully. He pumped his fist across his chest and grinned. "I accidentally left him behind. What is this place?"

_**This is a test meant only for the one who wields the sword that seals the darkness,**_ said the voice, now sounding a bit annoyed. _**You must leave. You cannot complete this trial without the Sheikah Slate or the hero.**_

"We shall see, o great ominous voice in my head!" proclaimed Sidon defiantly, striking a heroic hand-on-hips pose. "I will complete this trial in the name of the Zora!" When the voice didn't respond, Sidon took that as an acceptance of his challenge, and set off to complete the trial.

After watching the boulders roll for a few moments, the Zora prince realized that one was different than the others; it had some important-looking orange lines that glowed the same bright color of the receptacle on the other side of the walkway. _So, my task is to deposit the orb into the bowl,_ he thought, _which will trigger the cage on the far side to open, which likely holds great treasure!_

Sidon began to scale the water-ridden incline eagerly, but he had to dive to the side almost immediately to dodge a boulder that he hadn't been looking out for. Turns out, giant stone balls that were sliding down a lubricated slope moved _fast._ Proceeding with more caution, Sidon carefully navigated his way to the top, carefully ducking a laser that was randomly _there_ on the slope for no apparent reason.

Once he made it to the scaffolding, Sidon looked out over the slope and tried to formulate a plan of action like Mipha had often told him to do. The young Zora scrunched his eyes shut and made a face that looked like he was trying to pass a huge amount of gas.

_Think Sidon, thinkthinkthink… What would Mipha do, what would Mipha do?_ He knew that Mipha would take the calm approach and solve the puzzle exactly as it was meant to be done after fierce planning. She would complete the trial very safely and methodically, taking her time to make sure she did it right and that everyone was safe. Sidon opened his eyes and was about to do just that before he remembered something.

"Wait," said the Zora prince aloud to himself. "I _can't_ solve this puzzle correctly because I don't have the Slate thing or Link." Sidon remembered that the voice had told him only Link and the Slate could solve the trial. He couldn't have the Slate with him… but maybe he could pretend to be Link!

_Okay then,_ Sidon thought, _what would LINK do, then?_ The prince thought for a moment, _hmm-ing quietly._ Then, he noticed the special glow-y orb pass beneath him.

"ATTAAAAAAAAAAACK!"

Without thinking twice (or even once), Sidon threw himself off the wire scaffolding and towards the glowing trial orb that was almost four times his height. By some scripted miracle, Sidon managed to land both on top of the sphere and on his feet. He instantly turned around to face away from the abyss and ran as hard and fast as he could as the orb continued to slide into boulders and walls that slowed it down. Like a ball in a dejected pinball game, the orb rolled slowly down the sloped while riding along the side of the wall, keeping its descent gradual. A small angled bit helped it roll to the walkway with almost no momentum, and Sidon wobbled atop the orb as it came to a stop on the walkway, a bottomless abyss on one side and rushing water on the other. Sidon took in his surroundings, then grinned like a maniac.

"Onward, orb!" cried Sidon as he began running atop the orb again, sending it rolling towards the receptacle. "Onward, to victory!" The Zora-powered orb began to slowly roll its way across the platform, giant boulders whizzing by as each on narrowly missed knocking Sidon and the orb in the abyss below. He made it two-thirds of the way there when Sidon looked at the slope and gasped as he realized that a giant boulder was headed straight for him, and there was no time to avoid it!

Sidon lunged as far as he could away, landing safely on the other side of the walkway just as the boulder collided with the orb and sent them both spiraling into the abyss. Glad he had survived but irked that he hadn't completed the Shrine, Sidon ran over to the cage-thing and peered inside, where there was an odd little altar surrounded by blue light where an odd-looking Sheikah monk sat still.

"I have survived and bested your trial!" Sidon proclaimed through the bars. "Let me in so I may claim my reward for my valiant efforts of heroism!"

_**You nearly killed yourself and did nothing to further the trail,**_ said the booming voice, which Sidon now guessed belonged to the monk. _**I will now send you back so you may sow no further discord in this sacred structure.**_

"No! I demand satisfaction! I have demonstrated the resolve of—"

_**May the Goddess frown upon your recklessness.** _

Suddenly, Sidon felt an odd energy coursing though him. Looking down at himself, he suddenly realized that he was dissolving into tendrils of blue light. Oddly enough, it didn't hurt, but before Sidon had a chance to panic he was whisked away by the powers of the monk.

Sidon instantly reformed back on the surface, at the entrance to the shrine. After doing a quick bodily check to make sure that all his limbs were accounted for, Sidon looked up and saw that his sister Mipha, Link, Princess Zelda, and the rest of the Champions were all there and looking at him with incredulous expressions. The Zora prince beamed at them all.

"I just went on the most amazing adventure!" Sidon sad excitedly. "You will never believe the incredible… things I… saw…" The young boy's voice faded away as he got a good look at his sister's face. Or, more importantly, the outright MURDEROUS expression that she only ever wore when Sidon had done something incredibly reckless to endanger himself. The fury in Mipha's amber eyes would have been enough to end Calamity Ganon on the spot had it been awake. It was the kind of sibling anger that haunted you in your nightmares.

Sidon gave a sheepish grin. "Um… sorry?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been building up Urbosa/Revali for almost 100k words, and things are starting to come to a head. Urbosa is getting around to accepting the fact that she empathizes and cares for Revali, and Revali himself is gonna have a bit more to go before he can get there. The inn scene felt very subdued to me, but also kind of natural, like N said. Most people are calm around each other when they have a crush, and the confession is where things get heated. These two are quite the opposite; loud and explosive beforehand, and calm afterwards. The dynamic was an interesting one to consider, and I tried my best to nail it here.
> 
> Also, Sidon is so precious. I prefer Mipha in general, but there's no denying the younger prince's charm.
> 
> I'd really appreciate your guys' thoughts on this, needless to say. Tell me if you think I did our favorite pair of bickering badasses justice. Also, this is version is finally caught up to the one on FF.Net! That means this will be updated at the same time as that one, once I finish Chapter 16. Thanks for reading!


	16. Two Roads Diverge

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for your continued patience and faith in this story. It warms my heart to know that so many of you come back to it.
> 
> Also. I don't know if any of you heard, but Nintendo had a video for this thing called E3. And in this E3 video, it revealed that we're getting a sequel to Breath of the Wild. Um. Yes, please? And it looks like it went to the Majora's Mask School of Making a Sequel to Your Revolutionary Zelda Game (ie looks like it's gonna be dark and weird and maybe have a story this time and maybe some Twili action? I dunno).

Link, Daruk, and Sidon were sitting beside each other at the base of one of the staircases next to the recently discovered Shrine. The three males' heads were hung low in equal parts shame and terror as Mipha paced anxiously in front of them, alternating her barbed amber glare between each one of them whilst wielding her trident. Behind her, Revali and Urbosa stood stone-faced. They each silently observed the pacing Zora and made sure that they never looked at each other if they could help it. Zelda, perhaps the only sensible one at the moment, had busied herself with talking to King Dorephan.

"I simply cannot _believe_ the three of you!" exclaimed the impassioned Zora Princess, balling up her free fist in an effort to redirect some of her anger. "I left you alone for ten minutes. Less than that!"

Daruk shifted in his seat uneasily. While he wasn't necessarily afraid of Mipha (even an angry Zora didn't compare to the terror wrought by a dog), he certainly was taken aback by how forceful she was being in the moment. He'd witnessed her scold Revali and Urbosa on two separate occasions, but this seemed to be different. Instead of the quiet and determined concern that had driven her previous showings of force, Mipha seemed to be overridden by what appeared to be genuine rage. _Kinda interestin',_ thought the Goron warrior to himself. _The more she cares about you, the more likely it is she's gonna lose her stack when you hurt yourself._

"Listen, Mipha," Daruk said, risking his health in an attempt to diffuse the situation. "I don't think you need to—"

"I most certainly _do_ need to!" interrupted Mipha, leveling the prongs of her Silverscale Trident at the Goron. "I have absolutely _had_ it with members of our party constantly doing things to put themselves in danger. I have more than enough on my plate with Urbosa and Revali constantly at each other's throats and finding new, creative ways to acquire new injuries." The silent pair of Champions in question both scoffed from behind Mipha, but a glare from the ranting princess quelled any potential complaints.

"Is it too much to ask that you take care of yourselves every now and then, instead of always relying on _me?"_ continued Mipha, rubbing her temples in exhaustion."The last thing I need is to have to worry about my younger brother being killed because two of the greatest warriors in Hyrule couldn't stop a forty year old Zora boy from trapping himself in an ancient torture house designed to test the hero of legend _without_ the piece of technology that he would need to actually complete and survive the test in the first place!"

Link, Daruk, and Sidon all blinked simultaneously as Mipha finished her rant. The healer's modest chest was heaving as her lungs struggled to replenish the air they'd lost in her tirade. Daruk watched in fascination as the rage on Mipha's face wilted into exhaustion, reemerged as calm, then abruptly shifted to embarrassment as her mind finally caught up with her emotions. The Zora Princess glanced behind her at Urbosa, who was watching her with an unreadable expression. Mipha then lowered herself into a crouch and turned her now not-so-violent gaze to her younger brother.

"Sidon," she said quietly, "please come here." The boy in question cast a somewhat frightened glance at the two Champions that sat beside him before rising to his stubby feet. He carefully made his way towards his sister, as though afraid she might pounce on him like a wild animal. Sidon was proved half-right; a soon as he was in range, Mipha lurched forward and wrapped her brother in a concerned hug. Her eyes scrunched shut as she completely ensnared Sidon in her arms, drawing the occasional shuddering breath as well. Once he realized his sister wasn't going to bite his head off, Sidon closed his eyes as well and returned the embrace.

Daruk cast a quick glance at his fellow Champions to gauge their reactions. The Hylian boy seated to his right had a content smile on his face, but he didn't make a move to join the Zoran siblings in their hug. _I guess the little guy knows when they need a sibling moment to themselves,_ the Goron realized. Another glace thrown towards Urbosa told another story. The Gerudo woman watched the embrace with a tiny smile growing on her lips, but her eyes were still clouded and troubled. Similarly, Revali's eyes also had a faraway quality to them, and Daruk refused to believe that it was a coincidence. _Somethin' else happened,_ he thought. _Somethin' must have really shook them up for them both to be thinkin' so hard._

Once Mipha and Sidon had finished with their embrace, the older sibling stood and ruffled her younger brother's head fins affectionately. Link stood and walked over to the aquatic pair with a soft smile on his face that was happily returned from the both of them. A warm grin spread across Daruk's face as he also stood, and he absentmindedly readjusted the chains that hugged his chest.

"Let's head on up to the throne room, why don't we?" said the Goron decisively. He took the first few steps up the stairs, before stopping for a moment and turning to Mipha. "Your dad won't mind if we crash his meetin' with Zelda now, will he?"

"Definitely not," said Mipha as she and Sidon shared a knowing grin. "Our father is much too kindhearted for that. We'll be fine."

/-\\-/-\\-/-\\-/-\

"Ah! The Champions of the hour have returned, I see."

Zelda turned around at hearing King Dorephan's comment. The Champions made their way up the stairs and into the throne room, each of them kneeling respectfully at the feet of both royals.

Well, except for Sidon. He just ran straight over to his father for a tackling hug.

"Your arrival is rather well-timed," Dorephan remarked after Sidon calmed down at sat obediently by his side. "Princess Zelda was just telling me that you all have to leave for Goron City. So soon?"

"Yes," Zelda confirmed, bowing her head. She could feel the five pairs of eyes that were aimed at the back of her head. "I apologize for the brevity of our stay, but my father has requested that we do not dwell in one location for too long. He wants us to conclude our journey as soon as possible so I can resume my prayer and training under his supervision."

Zelda didn't try very hard to hide the irritation in her voice. _It's one thing to say that I'm not aware of the stakes and that I should go out and experience the world I'm trying to save,_ thought the Hylian princess. _But it's entirely another to send a messenger telling me not to linger too long and to hurry back so I can stay holed up in the castle, buried in prayer and forbidden from the work that would actually help us stand a chance in the coming fight, and—_

"I understand, Princess," replied Dorephan. The older Zora's calm voice cut through Zelda's troubled thoughts, and she shook herself back to reality so she could meet the other ruler's eyes. He looked at her like a father should; he was a commanding presence, but also realized that there were some things that were better left unsaid. And unprovoked. "However, there is one more thing I must ask of you…"

A bolt of fear cut through Zelda's heart for a brief second. Dorephan was an excellent and caring ruler, but the last time he'd asked a favor of the Champions, two of them had sustained heavy injuries, and that was not an experience that Zelda wanted to repeat.

Apparently, Revali had similar concerns. "I'm not going back up that mountain again," Zelda heard the Rito say, trying her hardest not to look back at him. "I don't care _what_ kind of monster problem you've got—."

"Calm yourself, Master Revali," Dorephan said with a chuckle, waving his hands placatingly. "It's not another monster-hunting request. I simply wanted to have a few moments to speak to my daughter alone."

Zelda's brow furrowed, and she turned her head to glance at Mipha. The Zora princess was smiling earnestly up at her father. Zelda was beginning to get the idea that Mipha had been expecting the request for a private conversation. She couldn't imagine why she looked so happy about it, though.

_Every private discussion I've had with_ my _father has gone terribly,_ Zelda mused bitterly. _Not exactly something to look forward to…_ Brief flashes of conversations with the King of Hyrule passed through Zelda's mind. She remembered several things from those conversations… the most prominent of which being the resounding disappointment she could feel in her father's eyes every time he looked at her. _Stop it,_ she told herself. _There's no point in dwelling on it any further. There's nothing more I can do at this point except prove him wrong._

"Where should the rest of us wait?" asked Daruk, snapping Zelda from her thoughts once again.

"In Upland Zorana, to the north," Mipha replied, stepping forward so she could face all her companions. "I think I know what Father wants to talk about. This shouldn't take very long."

"I must bid you all farewell," King Dorephan said, raising a massive flipper in a slow wave as Mipha made her way over to his side. "I do hope your short time here in Zora's Domain was pleasant. May the Goddess smile upon you and upon all of Hyrule."

Zelda bowed politely, and the Champions behind her followed her example. "Your hospitality was exceptional, Kind Dorephan," reassured the Hylian princess. Despite herself, the tiniest beginnings of a smile crept their way onto her face. "Thank you." With that, the group of travelers turned and left the royal Zoran family to their devices.

A light bump on Zelda's shoulder made her jump, although she calmed when she realized it was just Urbosa. The Gerudo warrior wore her usual confident half-smile, but Zelda could see a bit of turbulence in the back of her eyes as well.

"How are you doing, my little bird?" asked Urbosa as the group continued to walk towards the eastern bridge as Mipha had instructed.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I haven't had much of a chance to talk with you since we've embarked on our little journey," said Urbosa with a slight frown. "And I know how you can get when you're away from your research for an extended period of time."

Zelda laughed a little at Urbosa's comment, feeling some residual stress ebb its way out of her. For all her faults and all her pride, Urbosa still knew just what to say to make Zelda feel at ease. Being with Urbosa was an enormous relief to Zelda for one very simple reason; she was the only one who never judged her. Of course, being the motherly figure that she was, Urbosa wasn't afraid to point out the things Zelda was doing wrong and give her advice on how to fix it. It'd be ridiculous to expect anything different, and that much she knew.

The thing that set Urbosa apart in her mind was the fact that, even after the advice was given and her flaws named, Zelda never felt like she was a lesser person because of it. Urbosa gave her advice and helped her through her hardships, but without any of the disappointment or pity that she received from so many others.

"I appreciate your concern, Urbosa," said Zelda with a quiet. "It's just…" The Hylian royal paused for a quick sigh. "… even when I'm half a continent away, my father still feels the need to control my every action. I cannot even be trusted with visiting a neighboring kingdom, it seems…"

A small hum of thought prefaced Urbosa's response. "I understand your frustration, Zelda dear," said the Gerudo eventually, bringing her hand to her chin in a thoughtful gesture. "But, it's important to remember that he did send you on a cross-country journey alone. If your father truly didn't trust you, he'd have come with us."

She was right, Zelda realized, but the thought did little to ease her discontent. "I suppose you're right…"

"Also consider the fact that he probably doesn't know how to handle not being in control," said a voice from behind the pair. The two females turned their heads behind them to cast twin looks of surprise at Revali.

"And what makes you say that?" asked Urbosa with a tinge of genuine curiosity in her voice. Zelda was equally surprised; of all people to lend her emotional support, Revali would not have been her first or even tenth choice.

"Think about it," said the Rito marksman as he sauntered his way up to Zelda's open side. "He's the king of Hyrule. Ruler of most of the continent. And, in spite of that, he's managed to lose his wife and be faced with an almost unwinnable battle that he is destined to be useless in."

Zelda's brow furrowed, not quite connecting the dots that Revali was laying out for her. "Okay…" Urbosa, thankfully, seemed to understand what the archer was getting at.

"What Peacock means," clarified Urbosa, "is that your father is taking this chance to tell you to move on to our next destination just so he can _feel_ in control. So much has happened recently to make him feel powerless despite being one of the most influential people in Hyrule. So, he takes what he can get here."

"I never thought about it like that…" mused Zelda to herself, lowering her head in thought. "Thank you, Master Revali." The theory made an astounding amount of sense even without knowing anything about the relationship that Zelda had with her father. In fact… it was almost made too much sense, considering who came up with said theory in the first place. "What made you think that was the problem?" she asked Revali.

The Rito in question frowned and refused to meet either woman's stare. "No, don't you go making this about me," said the archer, turning away from the pair and walking in Daruk's direction. "Just think about it, all right?" Zelda blinked and beside her, Urbosa chuckled and laid a hand on her shoulder.

"You should feel honored," said the Gerudo with a distant grin. "That's about as close as he gets to saying 'you're welcome.'" Zelda gave an ironic smile as Urbosa walked off in the Rito's direction. It never ceased to amaze her just how often she could be lifted out of a sour mood after a few minutes of conversation with her Champions.

Now all she had to do was figure out how to get the good mood to stick around for longer than a day at a time.

/-\\-/-\\-/-\\-/-\

Revali was surprised to find that Mipha didn't keep them nearly as long as he thought she would. Within ten minutes, she had rejoined their group at Upland Zorana and they began their journey towards Goron City. She came back with an air of happiness and contentment that seemed out of place considering the fact that she was leaving her homeland once again.

"You look happy," said Revali, voicing his thoughts. "What was that talk about?" His innocent question was met with a few raised eyebrows, which he supposed he should have expected. After all, Revali hadn't exactly made it a point to look after the emotional wellbeing of anyone else before, so it made a little sense that his fellow Champions were a mite intrigued.

Still, pretending to care about his comrades' feelings is better than thinking about Urbosa by a landslide.

"Oh, nothing in particular," Mipha said with a sly grin that was almost unbefitting. "My father asked if I would leave my Lightscale Trident with him, so they could create a ceremonial replica."

"So, you're weaponless?" asked Revali with a frown. "I get that you're a healer, Mipha, but don't you think it'd be a good idea to have a weapon on a cross-country journey through Hyrule?"

"My father lent me one of our soldier's spears," said the Zoran royal, gesturing to the weapon on her back. "Besides, he also wanted to give me design input on a ceremonial piece of armor I'm building."

"You make armor?" inquired Daruk. "I didn't know you were a smithy!"

Mipha flushed. "It's more decorative than practical," she said. "It's a tradition for Zora princesses to make a set of ceremonial armor."

"Is it a coming-of-age tradition?" asked Zelda, and she sounded genuinely curious. _I suppose a scientist-type like her would always be interested in gathering more information,_ considered Revali with an internal shrug.

"Nnnnnnnot exactly," said Mipha, trailing off. She bit her lip and averted her eyes, as though debating whether or not she should say more. "It's more of an… engagement ritual."

Revali saw Link stumble and almost fall flat on his face out of the corner of his eye.

"Wait," said Revali, holding back a chuckle. "You're getting _married?"_

"W-well, I haven't exactly proposed yet…" Mipha said shyly, suddenly looking like she regretted ever fessing up in the first place. "I-It's not a big deal…"

"Mipha, dear. You can't just drop that bombshell and expect us to leave you alone about it," said Urbosa, walking over to the Zora girl and draping her hands over the smaller Champion's shoulders. The Gerudo gave a playful smirk. "Who's the lucky voe?" she asked as though they didn't already know it was Link. "Is he someone we know?"

Link, for his part, was handling the widespread teasing fairly well. He was busy analyzing his tunic, smoothing out non-existent wrinkles as his face pulsed an uncomfortable pink. _Some hero of courage he turned out to be,_ Revali thought with disdain. _Can't even handle some indirect prods without turning colors._

"Aw, leave the poor girl be," Daruk said, although he too was wearing a satisfied grin. "Mipha's private life is her business."

"Thank you," Mipha said, almost breathless. "Besides, we have more—"

"But you were gonna invite us all to the weddin', right?"

Mipha's face went red again, and even Revali couldn't help but grin at the situation. It was fascinating to see the most level-headed and collected Champion fall to bits over a bit of teasing when she was more than capable of putting them all in their places.

Beyond that, Revali found it interesting that _Link,_ of all people, had won the Zora's heart. Even though he and Mipha had their fair share of vices, Revali still regarded her as the most emotionally mature and perhaps wisest person he'd ever met. Whenever any of the Champions had a problem, more often than not Mipha was able to diagnose what exactly went wrong and what needed to be done to fix it. And, despite her sappiness, she was also _very_ good at judging a person's worth candidly and holistically.

Given all of that, the person she'd chosen to live the rest of her life with was _Link?_ That didn't do much to help Revali's image of the Hylian Champion as a detached, spoiled miscreant who'd never had to sacrifice anything to get where he was. _I may not know Link, but I can claim to know Mipha at least a bit,_ thought Revali with a frown. ,em>So, what does Mipha see in him? It could be that she's biased toward him because they spent their whole childhood together, so everything they do together is one glorified rom-com. It was a possibility, but not one that made him feel any better about the whole situation.

"Oi Revali, you listening?"

The Rito cleared his mind and tossed a casual glance to Daruk as they continued on their way. "No," he replied, realizing there was no point in trying to lie. "What is it?"

"Mipha pointed something out," Urbosa clarified. "You and she are both unable to make the journey to Goron City."

Revali blinked. "That's… true," he said. "Potions don't work on us, so Mipha would die from dehydration quicker than any of us and my feathers would catch on fire the second I stepped foot in the city."

"Exactly."

"How did it take us this long to realize that was going to be a problem?"

Zelda stepped forward and spoke up. "Actually, I've been giving this a good amount of thought," she said. "Daruk, Urbosa, and I should go to Goron City while Mipha, Link, and Revali go to Akkala."

"Splitting up?" asked Mipha, concern etched on her face. "What if something happened to one of you in Goron City, and I'm not there to heal you?"

"Nobody would get hurt on _my_ watch!" Daruk reassured with a fist pump. "Urbosa and me are more than enough to protect the princess!"

"Right, and _I'm_ more than enough to cover for Mipha and the Hylian knight," Revali proclaimed, crossing his arms confidently. Urbosa dissolved into a series of coughs that sounded suspiciously like laughter, but Revali wasn't about to dignify it with a response.

Suddenly, the sound of a blade cleaving the earth caught everyone's attention. Everyone turned to Link, who had a surprisingly determined expression on his face. Revali narrowed his brows.

"What's the deal?" spat the Rito archer. "You don't like the arrangements?" To his surprise, Link answered with an honest shake of his head. His candidness caught Urbosa's attention as well, and she took a step forward. Revali noticed how her hand had strayed to the hilt of her scimitar.

"You want to stay with Zelda, don't you?" asked Urbosa with an odd undertone to her voice, but Revali wasn't willing to exert any more mental energy on dissecting why Urbosa did what she did. Perhaps unsurprisingly, Link nodded in confirmation of the Gerudo's statement. Urbosa clicked her tongue and shook her head. "I suppose I'm inclined to agree with the boy on this one, my little bird. It is his duty to protect you, after all. I'll trade places with him and accompany Mipha and the Peacock to Akkala."

"I can look after myself, thank you very much," Zelda insisted, and Revali noticed she was doing her very best to look anywhere but Link, as though simply acknowledging him put too much stress in her life. _It seems we have something else in common._ "Besides, it's not as if I'm going in unprotected. Daruk will be more than enough to take care of us."

At that, Revali saw the Goron Champion give a nervous chuckle and rub the back of his giant head. "Still, Urbosa's got a point," he said somewhat sheepishly, despite his earlier words. "I can protect the two of you, sure, but it's still Link's job to look after you. If anythin' happened, the king would have to blame Link even if it wasn't his fault."

"I never asked to be followed," Zelda said stiffly, and Revali recognized the familiar sight of trying to hide one's vulnerability with distaste. "I don't need him. I don't want him."

It was hard to miss the crestfallen look that tore its way onto Link's face, despite Revali's attempts to ignore it.

An uncomfortable silence festered, laying in a cancerous lump in the middle of the gathered Champions. Even though Revali was completely in agreement with Zelda about Link's usefulness, he still found himself unnerved by the problems it was causing. _I'm not used to working with this many people,_ the Rito grumbled in his mind. _If I'd known there was going to be this much drama every time someone opened their mouths, I never would have accepted Zelda's offer to become a Champion in the first place._

"But, why Akkala?" inquired Mipha suddenly, eager to change the subject. "Even if I could not survive Death Mountain's extremities, should we not still be relatively close by? Why send us so far away?"

"At the northwestern-most point of the continent," began Zelda, obviously thankful for a distraction from the dampened mood, "a Sheikah researcher named Robbie has built a laboratory where he studies and replicates the ancient Guardian technology."

"Ever since the shrine activated the other day, I've been wondering how exactly the Sheikah Slate controls the other ancient technology, if at all." Zelda rubbed her forehead and gave a heavy sigh. "Perhaps Robbie will have some insight as to what its true function is." It made sense. After all, if they were going to eventually control the Guardians and lead them into battle against Calamity Ganon, they'd better make sure that they could be controlled in the first place.

"Link also thinks we should stop by the Akkala Citadel on our way," Mipha interjected again, and the Hylian boy beside her nodded sagely.

"A Citadel?" asked Daruk. "Since when did you little guys have somethin' like that just layin' around?"

"My father ordered its construction after our discovery of the Guardians," clarified Zelda, although some disdain coated her words. "The idea was to create an impenetrable stronghold to fall back to in the event that Hyrule Castle falls in the fight with Ganon. It houses our most elite knights and warriors and is also a testing facility for a new kind of advanced Guardian model we found that is capable of flight."

"Flying Guardians?" asked Revali. "Are we sure it's a good idea to have those things flying around, especially given the whole tower incident that happened not too long ago?" His dismissive phrasing earned him a glare from Urbosa, but Zelda spoke up to defend herself before the Gerudo could say anything.

"That's precisely why you, Urbosa, and Mipha are going to the Citadel to check their progress, Master Revali," said the Hylian princess candidly. "If they prove to be too uncontrollable or unreliable, then my father will have them decommissioned at once."

Revali frowned and crossed his wings over his chest. He was intrigued, needless to say; especially after he and Urbosa had missed out on seeing the ancient machines in combat the first time around at Hyrule Castle, the archer was more than eager to see how formidable the Sheikah robots were. Besides, it would provide an opportunity for him to prove that he could take down one of the machines all by himself, whereas Link needed the help of two other Champions. _So, splitting up gives me a chance to prove I'm better than the little Hylian. Perfect._

"Are we splitting up now?" asked Daruk. "I'm rarin' to head back home to Goron City, but I still don't want any of us to be unprepared…"

"I could use a minute or so to gather my materials, yes," Zelda said, kneeling to the ground and opening her satchel. "I'll need to decide which group is taking what components of the Sheikah technology. I promise I'll be no more than five minutes."

/-\\-/-\\-/-\\-/-\

"Are you sure you're gonna be okay?"

Mipha looked up at Daruk and nodded sagely as Link watched from beside her with curiosity. "Of course," Mipha said. A gentle smile persisted on her face, but it was dampened somewhat by the curious tilt of her head. "Why? You're not worried about us, are you? We're more than capable of taking care of ourselves."

"Oh, I know," Daruk said. "I know you and Urbosa can tear up anythin' that stands in your way somethin' fierce. I'm just making sure you two can handle all that _and_ keep Revali's head on straight." Mipha allowed herself a small chuckle, and Link nudged her shoulder with a shy grin of his own. The two looked at each other, and Daruk couldn't help but feel like everything in the world would be alright. The way those two could talk together without saying a single word, the way they always understood what the other needed and what they should do; it was incredible. That kind of bond was one-in-a-lifetime, that much Daruk knew. _With that kinda love on our side, there's no way we can lose._

"Master Revali's more capable than you think," Mipha said, almost to herself. A rare look of shame overtook the Zora girl's features, and her eyes refused to move from the ground. "I can only hope that he can forgive me for my invasion of his privacy."

"I don't think you should be waitin' around for Revali to forgive you," Daruk said with a small shake of his head. The golem took a moment to readjust the chains around his chest before continuing. "You just need to forgive _yourself,_ Mipha. Once you get past whatever's keeping you down, you'll be able to help Revali again and get him to crawl out of his hidey-hole."

The Zora princess smiled up Daruk with thanks reflected in her deep amber eyes. "You're absolutely right, Daruk," she said, and she took a quick second to twine her fingers with Link's as they stood together. "I'll certainly be alright. Now all that's left is for you to take care of yourself in Goron City."

"Aw, there's nothin' to worry about there!" crowed Daruk proudly, thumping his chest rather theatrically. "Nothing in Death Mountain could hurt us, not with the Princess' smarts, the little guy's courage, and my strength! Plus, there're no dogs in Goron City, so I think we'll be okay…"

The three friends laughed together, but they were interrupted for a brief moment by Zelda, who called to them; "Mipha! Could I speak to you for a moment, please?"

The Zora girl in question looked mildly surprised at the calling, but she flashed Daruk another quiet smile all the same. "I had better go see what she wants. Be sure to take care of yourselves, both of you!" Mipha gave Link a crushing hug that they held for a long while, until the Zora royal came over to give Daruk the same treatment. The Goron hugged back, although he kept from using his full strength so as not to damage her not-made-of-stone body.

"Remember that you're not just lookin' out for Revali and Urbosa out there," Daruk told her once she pulled away. "You make sure that you get some time to take care of yourself, too."

Mipha looked at her two companions and she smiled widely, her amber eyes shining with the depth of acceptant joy. "Of course," she said as she turned to face Link. "And Link, once we regroup, I think I might have a certain question to ask you." With that, Mipha turned away with a satisfied smirk and strolled over to Zelda.

Daruk looked down at Link. The young boy was readjusting his tunic, his face was red, and it was obvious that he was trying his hardest not to grin like a manic clown. So Daruk simply gave his fellow Champion a strong pat on the back and said, "You're a pretty lucky knight, you know that, little guy?"

Link's earnest smile spoke volumes more in reply than any words could.

/-\\-/-\\-/-\\-/-\

A small distance away from the rest of the group, Urbosa sat alone. The Gerudo was trying her best to look occupied by cleaning her shield. She sat with both legs crossed, with her gleaming shield propped in the gap her legs made for support. To be completely fair, Daybreaker had been rather neglected ever since the Champions' departure from Hyrule Castle. Chasing after Ritos and climbing mountains and getting sick didn't leave a lot of time for proper shield maintenance, after all. That still didn't change the fact that she was trying to distract herself from the upcoming split, and that it meant she'd have to spend a prolonged period of time cooped up with you-know-who.

"We need to talk."

Urbosa didn't even have to look up to know who it was. Besides, she wasn't sure she wanted to acknowledge the Rito just yet, especially not so soon after gifting him that ribbon for a second time. She'd come to terms with her feelings, more or less—she _did_ care for Revali, that much she could admit to herself—but that didn't mean she knew how they were supposed to act around each other now.

_Do we keep bickering with each other now?_ Urbosa wondered helplessly has she made another pass over Daybreaker with the edge of her skirt (the only cleaning material around). _Every time we snapped at each other before, it was for a purpose: either I was testing him, or he was getting payback, or both of us were trying to prove who had the bigger stick. If I claim to "care for him" now, does that mean I should change my behavior to better reflect that? Or should I continue on like we have before and just pretend that the only thing that's changed is the label I've put over us?_ Urbosa sighed, her shoulders sagging. _I should have just turned down his offer to go for drinks, then none of this would have happened._

"Urbosa. I'm being serious."

With great reluctance, Urbosa dropped her hand to her side and leaned back to look Revali in the eye as he stood over her with his wings crossed behind his back. _He's trying so hard to look imposing that it's actually kind of adorable,_ Urbosa allowed herself to think. "What is it, Peacock?" she eventually said. "I don't think there's much else for me to say. Surely the ribbon I gave you speaks volumes." Much to Urbosa's pleasure, Revali seemed a bit taken aback by her words. A brief shimmer of uncertainty was all she had to confirm that theory, but it was enough for her. _At least I'm not the only one who doesn't know how we're supposed to act around each other._

"Don't talk to me about that," the Rito said, his eyes shifting away from hers for a brief moment. "You've caused me enough grief already, Urbosa. The last thing I want is your input while I try and piece this insanity together."

"You're… not rejecting the ribbon?" Urbosa tried to ignore the small nugget of hope that caught itself in the back of her throat. _You're not rejecting_ me?

"I'm not doing _anything_ about that," snapped Revali. "Not yet. If you're going to bother me about this all the way to Akkala, I'd rather take my chances catching fire in the volcano instead."

Urbosa's tongue itched to make a smart remark, but she held it and settled for a quite stare. Not a glare, not a sneer or a snarl, but a simple, quite stare deep into Revali's emerald eyes. _I want him to say it,_ she realized as a ball of warmth rolled around in her chest, making her feel tired and exhilarated at the same time. _I shouldn't, not after everything I've put us both through, but I want to hear him say it._

"Just… give me time to think, okay?" Revali asked, although it obviously pained him to do so. He let out a huff and shook his head. "You told me a lot back in the Domain. You told me a lot of things that I don't really understand, and other things I really don't _want_ to understand. I just…need some time. Can I have at least that much, if nothing else?"

The Gerudo swordswoman allowed herself a small smile, and she nodded at the Rito that stood over her. In all honesty, just the fact that he was even considering her words at all was an improvement over how he used to be. _I'm breaking through to him, slowly but surely,_ Urbosa thought with a bittersweet smile tugging lightly at her lips. _It just amazes me that I'm even trying to do that in the first place._

"So, what did you want, Revali?" asked Urbosa as she stood up, replacing Daybreaker to its place on her back. "If you didn't want to talk about the ribbon, what did you want?"

"I wanted your thoughts on the sequel they're making," Revali said, turning away from Urbosa to look at the other members of their group. "Think we'll make an appearance? As Champions?"

"Probably not, unfortunately," replied the Gerudo, shaking her head. She'd never admit it, but she was glad for the distraction. "It is a sequel, after all. Our story was told in the first game, and we served our purpose to the plot."

"We each got about five minutes of screen time, and the plot was almost non-existent."

"Eh, I'll take what I can get," Urbosa said with a shrug. "Besides, if we'd been given more attention, the author never would have tried to go this in-depth with our pre-game stories, right?"

"Hm," mused Revali, not entirely convinced. "He never would have written us having this conversation to begin with, I suppose."

"That's right. We'd probably act a lot differently, too."

"Mhm. And we'd never have bickered with each other like children."

"Or had a long conversation about our histories while injured and freezing in a mountain cave."

"…"

"…"

Urbosa cast a brief glance at Revali. "You know, I think I'm satisfied with how things turned out anyway." Revali shook his head from beside her, but she could detect the faintest traces of a smile in his voice.

"Me too," agreed the Rito gruffly, although he was quick to shift his eyes over to glare at her. "Not for any particular reason, mind you, so don't get any ideas. I'm just satisfied in general."

A well-meaning laugh wormed its way out of Urbosa's mouth. "Don't worry, Revali. I'd never do anything to make you uncomfortable."

Revali shook his head again and made his way back towards the camp. "Just come on, you vixen," snapped the archer. "Zelda looks like she's done packing."

Urbosa was finding it increasingly difficult to wipe the growing grin from her face.

/-\\-/-\\-/-\\-/-\

Zelda sighed as she closed her satchel and rose to face her Champions, having finished in dividing up the technology between the groups. She'd called Mipha over for a brief moment so she could teach the Zoran princess how to operate the Shiekah Slate and what powers they knew it had. Mipha was the chosen candidate because, as much as she loved her surrogate mother, Urbosa was not the best choice for handling delicate ancient technology that could remotely control _other_ pieces of ancient technology.

Also, there was no way in Twilight that Zelda was letting _Revali_ be the Slate's safekeeper.

Once their impromptu lesson began, Zelda was rather impressed by how quickly Mipha picked up on the intricacies of the Slate; it turns out the spearwoman/princess/healer was also a budding engineer. During her explanations, Mipha had asked questions that Zelda had never even thought of before.

_I wonder if I should have brought her in on my research a long time ago,_ thought the Hylian girl as she handed the Slate over to Mipha, as well as he Ancient Core that Daruk had gifted her (from what she'd heard, Robbie had a habit of extorting materials from anyone was visited his lab). _Mipha's intelligence and new perspective could have helped our development speed and even given us some fresh innovation ideas._ Zelda shook her head and tried not to frown. _I suppose I'll have to ask her about it when we return to Hyrule Castle._

"Right," Zelda said, both to get the Champions' attention and to steady herself. "I've finished distributing supplies. Mipha's group will take the Shiekah Slate with them, as well as the Ancient Core that Daruk was kind enough to gift me during Dinsday."

"Wait," Revali interrupted, "why are we 'Mipha's group'?"

"Because she's the one who received a crash course in how to work the Slate," Urbosa reminded him with a nudge of her elbow. "I hope you're not this forgetful during the rest of our trip, Revali. It'd be a tragedy if you forgot that—"

"I _get_ it," snapped Revali, cutting the Gerudo off before she could finish her statement. Zelda couldn't even bring herself to roll her eyes anymore, she was so used to it.

"Short term memory loss notwithstanding," Zelda continued, drawing a chuckle from four of the Champions and a grumble from the remaining one, "it's best if we depart now. The sooner we finish our respective tasks, the sooner we can reunite and continue to Rito Village." The mention of his home seemed to sober Revali. Zelda noticed that he straightened his posture and that a new piercing gleam sharpened his eyes.

"We'll be back before you know it, my little bird," Urbosa said, reaching a hand over to rub the girl's shoulder. "Stay strong, but remember that even the strongest of us need help from time to time." Zelda's eyes narrowed in curiosity; she knew that Urbosa was talking about her and Link, but she had an underlying suspicion that her advice had a double-entendre for the Gerudo herself.

"Let's get a move on, then!" Daruk crowed, thumping his double-barreled chest with one of his mighty fists. He unhooked Boulder Breaker from his back and swung it around in one hand, pointing the stone-crushing tip towards the summit of Death Mountain. "We've been waitin' long enough. Time to climb our next mountain, Pebblits!"

The Goron's determination rippled into the other Champions, and Zelda as well. _Time to prove myself,_ she thought, and something heavy weighed on her chest. Whether it was duty, dread, or both she didn't know. _Once we regroup, we'll have more knowledge about the Shiekah technology, and Daruk's spirits will be lightened from visiting his home._

The Champions continued their journey across Hyrule, and the future was looking brighter with every step they took.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And we now officially say goodbye to the Zora! I'll miss them for sure, but there's always more fun to be had in Hyrule. I know I neglected quite a few NPCs, like Muzu and Seggin and Kodah and Bazz, but they weren't relevant to the story I wanted to tell with Link and Mipha. At this point, they already accept each other. We don't need any conflict from Muzu or Kodah to make them realize that they love each other and don't care what others think; they already know that.
> 
> This story has always been about the Champions, and my intention is to focus on them as much as I can. While I realize this may limit the scope of new characters I can introduce, I feel that the loss is worth the gain of new interactions between the Champions and the chance to see them work together and go on adventures. We never see the Avengers assemble, for lack of a better term, in Breath of the Wild, and that's what I want to finally do here.
> 
> Also, I decided splitting the group up would allow for some more tight-knit conversations between everyone. Besides, it means we get to see more of Hyrule than we would have otherwise, covering twice the distance in half the time.
> 
> As always, thank you for reading! Your feedback is forever appreciated.


	17. The Perpetual Testing Initiative

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had to, guys. I had to.

The Akkala Citadel was nothing less than a Hylian-made mountain.

It stood proudly in the eastern Hyrulean skyline, nearly as tall as Death Mountain. While it may not have been the most attractive stone structure in the world, the Citadel made up for that with pure firepower and an extremely functional design. Tight staircases wound their way up and down the structure like veins, carrying soldiers and supplies to and from the different floors. Archers manned every corner and, if one looked closely enough, they could see the telltale sparks of bomb arrows knocked in their bows. As if all that weren't enough, to even get to the Citadel's entrance, there was a heavily-fortified bridge that spanned a deep crevice in the landscape. A metal fence with barbed wire on top blocked the path forward.

"Wow…" Mipha said looking up at the behemoth structure with awe in her amber eyes. "It's incredible. Think of how long it must have taken to build…" In Zora's Domain, most of the structures had already been there when the first Zora came to inhabit it. The sprawling town that existed now was the work of a few skilled stonemasons and sculptors who simply changed the aesthetic of the winding stone pathways. That was part of the reason why the walkways were so complicated, because they hadn't been planned by architects. Hyrule Castle had been just as impressive to Mipha as the Citadel because of how much planning had gone into it.

Beside her, Revali crossed his arms. "It's pretty impressive," admitted the archer with a grudging nod. "Smaller than I thought it'd be, but big enough to get the job done."

On her other side, Mipha saw Urbosa glance over at Revali grin widely. "That's what—"

"Urbosa, no."

"Oh, give me a break," replied the Gerudo, trying her best to keep an entirely straight face and failing miserably. "If anything, I'm the most qualified person in Hyrule to make that joke."

"We're better than that," Revali protested. "The _author_ is better than that."

"Want to bet?"

"Hello!" Mipha shouted over to the nearest guard on the other side of the bridge, hoping to end the conversation before her face could get any redder.

"Greetings!" called back a Hylian guard, waving amiably from the other side of the bridge. The trio of Champions waited for a short moment so the guard could run up and greet them properly at the fence. His brown hair was a striking contrast to his pale skin, and he had deep brown eyes that gleamed through the holes in his helm. "How can I help you three?"

"I am Princess Mipha of the Zora," began the healer, placing a hand on her chest. "With me are also Chieftess Urbosa of the Gerudo and Master Revali of the Rito."

"Oh, I could tell that much!" said the guard with a short laugh. "I was there when you all received your Champions' uniforms from the king. It's an honor to meet you all face to face. I was just wondering what business you had here." Mipha nodded quietly and took a quick moment to compose herself. Of _course,_ they'd be recognized; they were hailed across the continent as Hyrule's single best chance against the Calamity. While Mipha was no stranger to fame, being a princess, the Zora were still a relatively isolated race that kept mostly to themselves. As such, she wasn't very accustomed to being recognized outside of the Domain.

"Princess Zelda sent us, on behalf of Rhoam," Urbosa clarified. "We're here to check on the progress of some flying Guardians you may or may not be experimenting with."

The soldier's eyes lit up at hearing this. "Oh, of course! We just got them working last week. They're pretty terrifying, actually; I'm glad they're on our side. Just give me a minute to get the keys so I can let you three in." The guard jogged back to the Citadel proper, leaving the three Champions of Hyrule standing there awkwardly in front of the gate.

"Well, he was rather nice," Mipha said, just looking for something to say that would fill the silence.

"Oh yes, _so_ very nice," Revali grumbled, crossing his wings over his chest. "It's not like we have places to be or anything. He just _left_ us here."

"Revali," began Urbosa with a sigh and an ironic smile, "you know you could just fly over the fence, right?"

"I know that," snapped the Rito with a huff. "I was just trying to be considerate for you two and not leave you behind. Although, if you'd really prefer that I went on without you—"

"Could you both please stop?" asked Mipha as kindly as she could, although even she knew the courtesy in her voice was forced. "The guard is on his way back, and I would prefer to avoid any arguments in the presence of others. There will be plenty of time to bite each other's heads off on our way to Robbie's lab."

Urbosa and Revali stopped their bickering and simultaneously looked down at Mipha, who was doing her best to stare straight forward. Before either of them could get a word in edgewise, though, the guard from earlier returned with a key. After a second of jingling and clanking metal, the fence creaked open. The guard greeted them once again with a proud grin and gestured to the structure that towered over them all.

"Welcome to the Akkala Citadel!"

/-\\-/-\\-/-\\-/-\

"There's an inside to this place?"

Revali's question reverberated off the sprawling stone walls that made up the Citadel's interior as they were all led inside by a small gaggle of guards. Despite how it sounded, it was a valid question. From the outside, the Citadel just looked like a set of stone walls built around a mountain. Nothing on the inside there except for solid rock and unbreakable mountain, nope, not at all.

At least, that's what it should have been.

"There's enough weapons here to arm half of Hyrule," narrated the soldier who'd let the three of them in. "It's also the largest military installment in the history of the continent, even including the ancient Sheikah."

There was a decently-sized alcove carved into the stone of the mountain, almost like a safety bunker. There were no windows, but each of the walls had been polished and littered with different kinds of weapon and armor racks. It was almost like its own town, with soldiers in differing levels of armor bustled up and down stairs and all around the ground floor. Some were poring over blueprints, others helping to carry supplies to different floors of the citadel, and even more were engaged in some form of weapons training. However, all the busyness paled in comparison to what lay in the center of the Citadel's ground floor.

"Is that a Shrine?" asked Mipha, squinting in fascination at the ancient structure. It was an exact replica of the one they'd found in the Domain; a lump of stone with glowing orange and blue highlights that pulsed foreign glyphs, and a dormant pedestal that awaited its proper tool. The satchel Zelda had lent to her felt heavier all of the sudden as she became aware of the Slate's weight on her shoulder.

"Is that what that's called?" The soldier glanced back at Mipha with a surprised expression. "It just up and popped out of the ground a couple of days ago. We've tried our best to open it up and see what's inside, if anything, but we haven't had any luck."

Urbosa nodded as their group neared the Shrine in the Citadel's epicenter. "We found one just like it in Zora's Domain. It's designed to only be opened for the hero of legend and for the Sheikah Slate." Mipha was grateful that the Gerudo chieftess had the wherewithal to leave out the part where her younger brother had accessed it all on his own.

The three Champions and the soldier that guided them came to a stop in front of the Shrine. "Well, that would explain why we haven't had any luck cracking it open," said the soldier, putting his hands on his hips. "I know you said you were here for the Guardians, but do you think at least one of you could try and open this thing for us?"

"I could," Mipha volunteered, stepping forward and raising a hand. "Princess Zelda taught me some basic functions of the Sheikah technology. I might be able to make some progress."

"And the two of us could test out the Guardians," Revali agreed, wings crossed over his chest. "Sounds good to me. So where are they?"

"Excellent!" said the Hylian soldier, beaming through his helm as he turned to look at Mipha. "I wish you the best of luck, Princess Mipha! If you make any progress, don't hesitate to come get us. We'll be on the top floor of the citadel. It shouldn't be more than a couple minutes' walk."

Revali scoffed from beside Urbosa. "Speak for yourself. I'm flying up there. Don't take too long." With that, the Rito summoned an updraft and soared upwards. The soldier scratched his head awkwardly, and Urbosa shook her head with a fond eyeroll. Or, at least Mipha liked to _think_ that it was a fond eyeroll. There was every possibility that Urbosa was completely fed up with Revali at this point in their adventure.

The remaining two waved goodbye to Mipha, and she returned the sentiment with a smile and murmured 'thank you'. Once they had begun their trek up the stairs, she slipped the satchel off her shoulder and pulled out the Sheikah Slate. The screen activated, flashing the eye of the Sheikah before fading away into a map of Hyrule. While it may not have been part of their original plan, Mipha was certain that Zelda would have wanted them to learn anything they could about any Sheikah technology, not just the Slate. She zoomed in on the icon of the Citadel's Shrine, which read _**Tra'mn Nat Shrine.**_ The Zora girl narrowed her eyes in determination as she cricked her neck and walked over to the Shrine's pedestal.

_Let's see what secrets you're hiding, yes?_

/-\\-/-\\-/-\\-/-\

"It's truly an honor to meet you in person, Lady Urbosa."

The Gerudo chieftess smiled down at the soldier who was accompanying her up the stairs. After so long of being on the move and surrounded by the strong personalities of her fellow Champions, it was refreshing to meet someone who was a little awed of her presence. Urbosa realized that it might be just a tad prideful, but she felt that she deserved at least a moment of adoration considering the steadfast rejection/denial/confusion she had to deal with around Revali.

"I'm flattered," she said with a kind smile, glancing down at the soldier. "What did you say your name was?"

"Hanson," he replied with a semi-serious salute. "Private in the Hylian army."

"Nice to meet you, Hanson," said Urbosa. "Now, something tells me that becoming a soldier wasn't your lifelong dream."

This drew a laugh from Hanson. "Am I that out of place?"

"No. It's a sentiment that's much more common than you'd think."

A humid silence buffered in the air between the two warriors as Hanson digested the Gerudo's words. "You're right, for what it's worth," said the soldier. "I know the kingdom needs me, and I'm proud to serve, but I was never much of a fighter. I'm just a carpenter pretending to be a warrior."

"Could have fooled me," replied Urbosa with a grin. "You do a very good job of selling the strong-and-silent type image."

"I aim to please." The pair shared a comfortable laugh before Hanson made another inquiry. "So, if you don't mind my asking, why are the three of you alone? Where are the other Champions and the princess?"

Urbosa held back a sigh. "King Rhoam ordered Zelda to journey across all of Hyrule and meet with all the leaders of the races," she explained. "Of course, we Champions were enlisted as support. Unfortunately, not all of us could make the journey to Death Mountain, namely Mipha. So, we were sent on this side-quest of sorts while the others do their business in Goron City."

Urbosa went silent as the two of them took the last step and emerged on the Citadel's roof. She hadn't realized how high up they'd climbed; the Citadel offered a view of most of Hyrule, with the glow of Death Mountain in the distance and the flowing rivers of Zora's Domain not too far beside it. Even the peaks of the Hebra Mountains were visible, as were the pale desert seas of the Gerudo Wastelands. It was a sobering moment. _I knew we were tasked with protecting all of Hyrule from the Calamity,_ the Gerudo chieftess thought, _but I suppose I never realized just how many people were counting on us._

_We really do have to win this fight._

"We all have to do things we later regret, unfortunately," Urbosa blurted, not quite sure where the thought had come from. "But it'll all be worth it in the end. It has to be."

"You really think so?" inquired Hanson.

"I do."

Hanson hesitated a bit before replying. "How can you be that sure?"

The Gerudo warrior looked down at Hanson with a bittersweet smile. "Because I don't know what I'm going to do with myself if it isn't."

"I certainly hope the two of you aren't talking about _me."_

Urbosa was pleasantly surprised to feel a smile tug at her lips as she looked over to see Revali waiting for them. "And why's that? Your ears burning, Peacock?"

"Something like that," replied the archer with a tiny grin of his own. The brief moment of earnest contentment was lost as soon as Revali remembered that there were witnesses. He straightened his posture and forced a scowl onto his beak as he turned to face Hanson. "So, where's this flying Guardian of yours?" _Oh, Revali…_

Hanson gestured to the center of the roof. "Right there," said the soldier with a proud gesture. The Champions' gazes were drawn to the center of the roof, where a pair of scientists were busy poking around the insides of a robot that looked like an upside-down pyramid laying on its side. Just at a glance, Urbosa could tell that this had to be the flight-capable Guardian they'd been told about. The main chassis looked like the Stalker Guardians that Zelda had been experimenting with in Hyrule Castle, except inverted. The spindly spider's legs had been replaced with a trio of sturdy-looking propellers, one on each corner of the drone. The "tip" of the mechanical pyramid was rounded out into a socket, from which a multitude of wires dangled. Off to the side, one of the two scientists was busy fiddling with a spherical head that had a single, inactive eye.

Also, now that she was taking the time to notice the finer details of her surroundings, Urbosa saw how about three quarters of the Citadel's rooftop was singed by lengthy scorch marks.

Hanson flashed the two Champions a proud smile. "If the scorch marks all over the place weren't enough to tell you, this thing's a brutal war machine. It fires special energy beams with pinpoint precision, and it's equipped with self-charging magic so it almost never has to be reloaded or taken out of commission."

"Except for now," Urbosa commented, prompting a small laugh from the Hylian soldier.

"Well, yeah," he replied, rubbing the back of his head. "Apparently, our resident eggheads found some problems with the controls. Sometimes it doesn't respond and it just kinda does whatever it wants."

"Forgive me for not cowering in terror," scoffed Revali from beside Urbosa, crossing his wings over his chest. "Doesn't exactly look like a sharpshooting killing machine to me, especially if it can't follow commands."

"Stand down, Peacock," said the Gerudo beside him, nudging his shoulder. "You wouldn't shoot so well either if your head was unscrewed and your gut were being poked at."

"Will you quit calling me Peacock?" huffed Revali, turning his head up and away from her in a most dramatic fashion. "It's demeaning."

"Oh, lighten up. Learn to let my little pet names roll off you like water off…" Urbosa bit her lip and twirled her hand in the air, grasping for the back half of her simile. "…whatever water rolls off of."

Hanson and Revali shared a quick glance, and Urbosa was surprised at just how quickly she'd forgotten that the young soldier was there.

"Continuing," said Hanson, clearly trying to hide a chuckle, "I'm not exactly sure why this Guardian's been put out of commission." The soldier walked up to one of the scientists and administered a friendly pat on the back. "What seems to be the problem, Danny? I thought these things were combat ready."

"We're not there yet," replied Danny the Sheikah scientist. He paused in his work to glance up at the Champions, his full head of curly hair bobbing as he did so. "Sorry to disappoint, but these Guardians still don't respond to commands properly. I wouldn't recommend a test anytime soon."

Revali frowned and crossed his wings over his chest. "How are you controlling these things in the first place?" questioned the archer. "I'm not seeing any sort of controller."

"They don't operate on controllers," clarified Danny, finally pulling his hands from the Guardian's head with some chunk of its insides. "We program a set of commands into their 'brains', then they execute those commands in the real world."

Urbosa looked over to Revali. "What does 'program' mean?"

"The readers'll understand."

"And that helps me how, exactly?"

"Well," interrupted Hanson, rubbing his hands together before patting Danny on the back again. "Sorry to have gotten your hopes up, Champions. Sorry to have bothered you, science boy."

Danny didn't even look up from the Guardian component he was fiddling with. "Yep, that's me," he said, enunciating the p with popping noise. "I'm the science boy. I'm the one who programs."

"Wait," interrupted Urbosa. "So, you don't even know why the Guardians are malfunctioning?"

Danny frowned in clear frustration and shook his head. "Sadly, no. They operate just fine for a minute or two. Then their lighting flickers and they go haywire, just blasting anything in sight."

Revali raised and eyebrow from beside Urbosa. "How'd you manage to deactivate it, then?" inquired the Rito. "I doubt it just peacefully complied and stood still while you flicked to off switch."

"Bomb arrows," replied Hanson. "Lots and lots of bomb arrows."

Urbosa sighed and ran a hand through her mane of fiery hair. "Pity. I was looking forward to the chance of fighting one of these things."

Both Hanson and Danny shook their heads. "No, you weren't," they said unanimously.

"Is that so?"

Another unanimous response. "Yep."

A feathered scoff sounded from beside Urbosa. "Right," Revali drawled, "because an afro-ed scientist and a skinny-thick foot soldier are the final authorities on who we should fight."

Urbosa jabbed a pointed elbow in Revali's feathered ribcage, drawing an indignant squawk from the Rito. "I apologize for my fellow Champion's conduct," said the Gerudo diplomatically, ignoring the pointed glare that Revali was drilling into the side of her head.

"Oh, it's no problem," said Danny with a dismissive wave of his hand. He jerked a thumb in the direction of Hanson. "I get enough verbal abuse on a daily basis from _this_ one, so I'm used to it by now."

"Speak for yourself," retorted Hanson defiantly, crossing his arms over his chest in a theatrical way. "tales of my benevolence have been spread throughout the land, from the seas of the Zora, to the mountains of Lanayru."

"But…" Danny frowned while still refusing to look up. "Zora's Domain is _in_ Lanayru."

Urbosa felt like she was having an out of body experience as she watched the Hylian soldier and Sheikah scientist continue to bicker with each other as though she and Revali weren't even there. _Is this how we look to other people when we fight?_ wondered the chieftess. _Like two people who obviously like each other and are friends, but bicker anyway because they can't stand to let anyone else know about it?_ Then Urbosa remembered that she'd struck Revali with a bolt of lightning and shook her head with a soft chuckle. _On second thought, maybe not. Someday we'll get to a point where our bickering is affectionate instead of acrid. Maybe. Hopefully._ The thought brought an odd pulse of hope with it that she hadn't been expecting.

"Yeah, I'm noticing how ridiculous we looked, too," said Revali, likely in response to her chuckle. A touch of surprise lit up the deeper corners of Urbosa's mind, but she elected to ignore it for the moment. _I'm just surprised that his mind went to the same place mine did, I suppose._

"Let's go back and check on Mipha, shall we?" suggested the scantily-armored swordswoman. She gave Revali quick pat on the back, which drew a raised eyebrow from the Rito, but he thankfully avoided questioning her about it. "We'd be better off if we left Hanson and Danny to their own devices."

"Yes, because those two are the picture of productivity," drawled Revali with an eyeroll, though he still decided to follow her back down the staircase towards the Citadel's base. "They both struck me as grumpy and shortsighted."

"Well, Danny didn't seem like that much of a grump, to be fair," replied Urbosa as they walked. Every other word of hers was punctuated by the sharp click of her heels on the stonework. "Although, I may be inclined to agree with you on the shortsighted bit. It's strange how they couldn't get the Guardians to work for us or figure out what was wrong with them. Weren't they designed by Sheikah?"

"I'll bet they didn't read the instructions. There's probably an entire tutorial that they skipped over."

"You think the ancient, buried robots came with a handy set of instructions?"

_"You_ think the Sheikah _wouldn't_ put instructions with the machines that stopped the Calamity?"

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the pair continued their bickering all the way from the roof of the Citadel to its base. it provided a sense of normalcy, and that was something that appeared to be in short supply recently.

_Nothing a short argument with a colleague can't fix,_ thought Urbosa with a grin.

/-\\-/-\\-/-\\-/-\

It had been nearly two years since N was defeated at Unova's Pokémon League by a young trainer and betrayed by his father Ghetsis. In the year and nine months following, N had fled with Reshiram and set off on a journey with no destination in mind. He'd released all his other Pokémon to purify himself from his hypocrisy… but the parting had been much more sorrowful than he'd expected. N had led Team Plasma under the assumption that humans and Pokémon needed to be separated; that one harmed the other and they had to be separated.

Having to say goodbye to the only friends he'd ever been able to make had made N rethink that policy. Seeing the unmitigated misery in their eyes as he released them and turned his back on them. Abuse and cruelty certainly existed—N had seen more than enough of it firsthand—but the bonds he'd formed taught him that pain came with separation as well as cohabitation.

Now, N set himself on a journey to reunite with all the friends he'd abandoned. He would relieve their pain, and his, and return to Unova to become an envoy between people and Pokémon. The solution wasn't forced separation; it was learned cooperation.

That was why, as N grit his teeth and straightened his jacket as he scaled the side of Mount Lanayru, the former king found himself searching for Reshiram. Although they had made the journey to Hyrule together, the legendary wyvern had insisted that she had business elsewhere and took her leave. At the time, N had been fine with it. Now, realizing that he needed a way back to Unova that guaranteed the safety of both him and his Pokémon friends, he went searching.

In a village about a day's walk to the north, N had heard local legends that spoke of an enormous dragon that lived on the peak of Mount Lanayru. Naydra, as he'd heard it called, was Hyrule's embodiment of wisdom. Wisdom didn't outright equate to truth—this N had learned the hard way—but perhaps it was close enough to cause a case of mistaken identity.

_I'm going to be honest,_ N thought as a blizzard tugged at his tea-colored hair. _This snowstorm reminds me more of Kyurem than it does Reshiram. Still, a legendary dragon is a legendary dragon…_ That said, N didn't know the whereabouts of the other two members of Unova's Tao Trio. As far as he knew, the only one who might be off-region was Reshiram. If she turned out to not be at Lanayru's peak, then maybe he could still find more information about this Naydra creature, if it was in fact something other than Reshiram. It wouldn't hurt to make friends with the local legends, after all.

_"H-h-hey, N?"_

A shuddering voice from within the jacket he'd borrowed brought N from his thoughts. He opened the neck up a bit to glance down at the purple-furred, green-eyed feline that was shivering in the tiny space between the jacket's insulation and his usual shirt.

"Yes, Renée?"

_"I-It's s-so c-cold h-here,"_ murmured Renée the Purrloin miserably. _"C-C-Can we g-go b-back down?"_

N smiled fondly and drew his jacket tighter around both himself and his Pokémon. "I said that you could stay back at the lake with Treble," said N, remembering the Tympole friend he'd left at the mountain's base. So far, Treble and Renée were the only two of his old partners that he'd been able to find.

_"I-I know,"_ mumbled Renée miserably, a far cry from her normally aloof personality. _"I j-just d-didn't want t-to l-let you l-leave again."_

A pang of guilt rang in N's chest as he continued his climb through Mount Lanayru's raging snowstorm. "I'm so sorry I left you before," apologized N, his voice sounding rougher with the crystalized regret in it. "I was a horrible friend to you. To _all_ of you."

_"No!"_ protested Renée, and N felt her nuzzle his chest affectionately. _"N-no. Y-You were the_ best _f-friend. I-I… I guess th-that's why it h-hurt so much when y-you left."_

"I was foolish," said N. He paused for a moment to navigate a particularly treacherous ice-riddled part of the mountain. "I saw the world too starkly: either humans always hurt Pokémon, or they never did. There was never a middle ground."

_"B-But…_ you _n-never hurt us,"_ Renée said, and N could feel her wiggle in confusion. _"So, d-didn't that m-mean that everything was g-good?"_

N frowned and rubbed his frigid hands together. "My father."

_"Y-Your father?"_

"Yes," confirmed N, mentally preparing himself to explain. "Once he found me in the wilderness, he made sure I only saw humanity at its worst. All the Pokémon he let me see were those that were abused and neglected before Plasma liberated them. You were the first healthy wild Pokémon I'd seen since Mirage."

_"M-Mirage?"_

"She was a Zoroark I knew before I met you," clarified N. "We grew up together, and she had a cub at the castle. I never found out what happened to it." He paused to readjust his jacket and heaved a deep sigh before continuing. "I… I suppose I'd lived with Pokémon for so long, I'd forgotten that I was human."

**"You are not of Hyrule."**

A booming voice interrupted the pair's discussion. N stopped in his tracks and wiped his sleet-covered eyes. He'd been so busy talking, he hadn't noticed how close they were to Mount Lanayru's summit. That detail crumpled up and blew away in the storm as he noticed the enormous, serpentine ice dragon that had coiled itself around the tip of the mountain. The dragon's scales were frozen snow, as though the entire creature were a manifestation of the storm that encompassed it. Deep eyes that belied wisdom borne from experience bored into his soul, and the translucent horn protruding from its forehead glowed an eerie cyan.

**"What is your purpose here, stranger?"** The dragon's lips hadn't moved, but there was no doubt in N's mind that the voice belonged to it. It carried a tone that suggested femininity and combined it with raw power.

"I am N," said the former king. He gestured to his chest. "My companion is Renée, and we come in peace. You must be Naydra, the guardian of wisdom."

**"I am Naydra,"** resonated the dragon. **"Voice of the Goddess Hylia and form of the spirit Nayru. Your timing is poor, stranger. Hyrule is on the brink of Calamity. Why have you come?"**

_"Sh-she's not s-so tough,"_ whispered Renée against N's jacket. _"I b-bet we c-could take her in a b-battle."_ The former king shook his head and hid his smile. Even while freezing and staring down a deity, the Purrloin retained the self-assured, self-righteous air that every feline had.

"I have come to reclaim my friends," said N amiably, palms raised. "The moment I find them all, I will leave and never return."

**"You must leave immediately,"** insisted Naydra, her large eyes dissecting him intently. **"We cannot risk having you interfere with the Calamity."**

"Calamity?" inquired N, eyes squinting from both sleet and confusion. "Is Hyrule in danger?"

Naydra huffed, releasing a puffy cloud of frost. **"Yes,"** intoned the dragon, still not showing any signs of displeasure. **"Calamity Ganon, an ancient evil, will rise within the year. It will destroy all of Hyrule and taint its spirit for the next 100 years."**

**"Is there anything that can be done to stop it?" asked N, readjusting the gray cap on his head so the blizzard wouldn't blow it off. "My friends and I are all able fighters. We could help, if we were needed."**

**"No,"** replied Naydra firmly. **"You will not be allowed to interfere. You will jeopardize our plan."**

_"Why n-not?"_ asked Renée suddenly, poking her head out above the neckline of N's jacket so she could see the dragon. _"I-If you guys are r-r-really in trouble, c-couldn't you l-let us h-help?"_

Naydra hummed disapprovingly, causing the summit to rumble. **"You know not of what you speak, insolent creature. The Calamity must come to pass if Hyrule is to survive."**

N felt Renée wriggle furiously inside his jacket. _"Insolent?"_ growled the Purrloin with murder in her eyes. _"I-I'll show you who's insolent, y-you—"_

"Renée," whispered N, trying to calm his friend. Thankfully, she kept any further comments to herself and resorted to grumbling unhappily. N looked back up to meet Naydra's stare, something that was becoming easier to do. "Her indignance aside, my companion has a point. From what you've told us, it sounds like you mean to let this Calamity Ganon win." 

**"This is true,"** declared Naydra, nodding its massive head sagely. **"The Calamity will roll over Hyrule in due time. It is the only way to ensure the kingdom's safety."**

N frowned. He was beginning to feel like he was talking to a mirror; one that hadn't yet learned the errors of its ways as he had. "Victory through loss?" inquired the former king. "What victory could possibly be worth the lost lives and destroyed civilizations?" 

**"Absolute victory,"** reaffirmed Naydra. **"The Calamity has risen systematically for thousands of years. Every time, it is defeated by the chosen heroes, but at great cost to Hyrule's stability. This pattern of death cannot be allowed to continue."**

"So, what do you gain by losing?" 

**"We have seen the future,"** Naydra claimed. **"If Calamity Ganon wins, it will become arrogant and overconfident. When our hero rises again in 100 years, it will forego reincarnation in a desperate attempt to win. It will destroy itself for good."**

"But at what cost?" asked N, brushing away a tuft of green hair that had been blown into his face by the storm. "If Ganon has been stopped before, why not let the Princess and her friends do so now? Why is this gambit necessary?" 

**"It is the only way to guarantee the safety of Hyrule's future,"** reiterated Naydra. **"We have no other option."**

_We have no other option,_ repeated N mentally. _It looks like even goddesses aren't immune to the hubris of belief._

"There is always another option," protested N. "The world cannot be judged as only black or only white. there must be balance, shades of gray." 

**"You overstep your bounds, foreigner,"** Naydra intoned, danger edging into her voice. **"Your kind cannot comprehend with wisdom of our choice."**

N scowled and reached to the neck of his jacket to pet Renée. "I can't claim to know Hyrule's history. I can, however, claim to know a ruler's responsibility to their people. The collective good comes first, always." 

**"This choice will bring prosperity to Hyrule's future,"** Naydra rebutted. **"The Goddesses have spent eons protecting Hyrule; as we grow tired of it, eventually, we will fail. That failure must be on our terms if we are to survive, not on Ganon's."**

"You cannot abandon your responsibilities," protested N, spreading his arms wide. "This choice benefits no one but you." 

Naydra shifted, her coils loosening around the mountain's peak so she could bend her head down to better glare at N. He didn't flinch. He knew how to handle the stares of legendary dragons. **"Your ignorance is as tiresome as it is unsurprising,"** Naydra told him curtly. **"Hyrule is entirely dependent on the Goddesses. What is good for us is good for all."**

N stepped forward and he felt the temperature plummet as he neared Naydra. "A king's subjects are not parasites; they can fend for themselves if the need arises, and they have separate needs. It would be a fatal mistake for a ruler to confuse their agendas with the needs of their people." 

**"You know nothing, outsider,"** hissed Naydra, betraying the contempt she'd been trying to hide. **"We have planned this for centuries. We've chosen our heroes wisely. They will be able to use our gifts only when we allow them to do so."**

"The princess?" inquired N. "Is she one of these heroes?" 

**"Yes,"** confirmed Naydra, with a hint of underlying pride. **"She is the chosen wielder of the Triforce of Wisdom, and the chosen representative of the spirit of Nayru."**

N was taken aback by the nonchalance of Naydra's statement. He knew firsthand the responsibility and duty that came with being a chosen hero. Reshiram had chosen him as Unova's hero for his faithfulness to truth. His journey had him questioning everything about himself and the world he lived in, striving to find the truth about the coexistence of humans and Pokémon. N was chosen for his purity, his faith, his empathy, and his naivety. For both his virtues _and_ his flaws. This… choosing heroes so they would fail when their homeland needed them most? Hyrule's wisdom, in N's eyes, was founded on a lie, and he was determined to expose it. 

"Your heroics are founded on lies," accused N, straightening his cap again in defiance. "You've chosen your Champions for their failures, not for their virtues." 

**"There are no perfect heroes, fallen king,"** retorted Naydra, bitter hail chilling her voice. **"Every mortal has a flaw."**

"Which is why you need to have faith in their virtues." 

**"Their virtues will precipitate Hyrule's return; in 100 years, Ganon will fall because of these virtues. We have foreseen this conflict, and its outcome."**

"It's a _manufactured_ conflict," insisted N. "An entire region will fester in turmoil and death for a century because you've tired of protecting it, not because of any virtues. The most egregious lies are those that cost others their lives." 

Mount Lanayru rumbled suddenly, causing N to stumble. He felt himself fall forward, and he twisted himself around to land on his back so he didn't crush Renée. The Purrloin whimpered in fear and chilly misery, and N stood back up quickly, dusting the snow off her head and petting her reassuringly. 

It'll be okay," cooed N, rubbing the terrified feline's head. "We're okay." 

A heavy snort from Naydra drew N's gaze back up. **"You're just as insufferable as that false deity who arrived before you."**

"Reshiram came here?" asked N, hope in his voice. It had been almost six months since he'd seen the Vast White Pokémon. "She's in Hyrule?" 

**"Yes,"** hissed Naydra. N noticed that the legendary dragon had ceased all effort to hide her irritation. **"Trespassing on Dinraal's territory, in Death Mountain. Is it your intent to find her?"**

"Yes. My goal is to reunite with all my friends, and Reshiram is perhaps one of my closest." 

_"But n-not closer than m-me, r-r-right?"_ asked Renée through her cold and fear. N simply laughed under his breath and gave her an affectionate pat on the head. Meanwhile, Naydra rumbled thoughtfully. 

**"You will find these companions within the year, and you will leave Hyrule once you do."**

**"Is that a prophecy or a command?"**

****

**"That will be for you to decide,"** replied Naydra cryptically. **"But be warned. If you interfere with our plan or if you try to fight the fate we Goddesses have declared for Hyrule, there will be consequences."**

****

"I will not hide from the consequences of my actions," said N stoically. "Truth has a price, and ideals require sacrifice." 

****

**"So be it,"** intoned Naydra. **"Now leave, fallen king. You are not welcome on this mountain any longer."**

****

Nodding, N gave Naydra a respectful bow before turning around to begin his descent. "Farewell." As he left Lanayru's peak, Renée poked her head out of his jacket again and tired to look up at him. 

****

_"S-so what are we g-gonna do?"_ asked the dark type. 

****

N frowned to himself, thinking over the conversation he'd just had with one of Hyrule's deities. "First, we find Reshiram," he responded. "Then, we help the Champions." 

****

_"Are y-you sure? That d-dragon sounded pretty m-mad at y-you."_

****

"Yes," confirmed N, determination steeling his storm-gray eyes. "Hyrule's goddesses have made an equation for its future, and the Champions must pay the ultimate sacrifice to solve it. I want to introduce a few new variables to help them out. They deserve as much." 

****

_"Really?"_ asked Renée, tilting her head curiously. _"I w-wanna help them t-too, b-because that sounds l-like a chosen-hero thing to d-do! But… why d-do you th-think they d-deserve it?"_

****

"I know what it's like to have the whole world turned against you," said N solemnly as he continued his descent. "And, thanks to you, I know how much having an ally can help when you have to fight off everyone else." Renée rubbed against his chest with an affectionate purr, and N scratched her head absentmindedly as he left Naydra and Mt. Lanayru's peak behind him. _They need my help,_ N thought with a tiny frown tugging the corner of his lips. 

****

_No one deserves to be alone._

****

/-\\-/-\\-/-\\-/-\ 

****

Surprisingly, by the time Revali and Urbosa reached the bottom of the Citadel's staircase, they'd stopped their bickering. Not because they'd suddenly put aside their differences (and their similarities) and skipped off happily into the sunset. It was because Urbosa had decided to pester Revali with an onslaught of terrible jokes, and the Rito was slowly losing the will to live. 

****

"… so then the seamstress walks back into the stateroom and says 'titanium? I thought you said _cranium!'_ " Urbosa gave one of her hearty laughs and nudged Revali's shoulder. "Pretty good punchline, eh?" 

****

_End me._ "Sure," said the archer flatly. "Now all you need is the first part and then you'll have a _whole_ joke." Urbosa shot him a look in response, one that said _I've got a witty retort, and I'm not afraid to use it._ Thankfully, they were close enough to Mipha that she could speak up from her place kneeling in front of the shrine's pedestal. 

****

"Oh!" exclaimed the Zora royal, setting the Sheikah Slate to the side and standing up to properly greet the returning pair. "So, how were the flying Guardians? Were they as terrifying as they sounded?" 

****

"Hardly," scoffed Revali, crossing his wings. He wasn't going to admit it out loud, but he really had been looking forward to tussling with an airborne version of Hyrule's most dangerous machine. "Out of order, apparently. Honestly, I should have expected this kind of incompetence from Hylians in the first place." 

****

"Based on what evidence?" inquired Urbosa, her gaze almost as piercing as her nose. 

****

Revali refused to meet the Gerudo's stare, and instead opted to meet Mipha's. "Personal experience," he said, and the words were out of his mouth before he realized who he was saying them to. _Probably not the best idea to insult the species of her soon-to-maybe-be-fiancé,_ realized Revali mush too late. The soulless vitriol that voided Mipha's eyes sent a jolt of very real fear rocketing through the Rito's spine. 

****

"I see," said Mipha, her voice betraying none of the danger that her eyes were. "Well, it seems that I've had better luck than those incompetent Hylians. I managed to get the Sheikah Slate to connect to the Shrine." It was good news. It also felt like the air around Mipha had plummeted to just below freezing. 

****

Urbosa stepped forward and Revali yelped in pain as one of her pointed heels dug into one of his feet. The Gerudo didn't look back at him, but he wasn't about to call any more attention to himself than was absolutely necessary. "Wonderful, Mipha," lauded Urbosa in a very diplomatic voice that Revali thought was rather unbecoming. "Does that mean we can open it now?" 

****

"Not quite," replied Mipha. The Zora girl turned to look at Revali, her amber eyes still gleaming with murderous intent. "Revali, would you mind stepping over there in the Shrine's alcove for a moment?" 

****

_I absolutely would mind._ "I'm fine, thanks," is what the nervous Rito actually said, trying to hide his fear with nonchalance. "It looks like you have this whole Shrine-Slate thing handled. There are better things I could spend my time doing." 

****

"Oh? Like what?" Mipha titled her finned head to the side in the classic gesture of innocence. "I was under the impression that you had nothing better to do." 

****

"Yeah?" challenged Revali, his ego unable to take a backseat to either is self-preservation or common sense. "And why's that?" 

****

"Wellll…" Mipha drew out the word, bringing a webbed hand to her chin in exaggerated thoughtfulness. "The Guardians ended up being disabled, so there's nothing for you to fight besides Urbosa, which I wouldn't allow you to do in the first place. You've insulted Link and even his entire race, so you've already exceeded your daily quota for pigheadedness. And you're in denial of your feelings for—" 

****

"Alright!" snapped Revali, interrupting the Zora before she said too much. Still her words had the desired effect if the pleasant smile on Mipha's face was anything to go by. "What do you need me to do?" _I'm not going to let her torture me with my emotions,_ thought the Rito in determination as he awaited a reply. _If I start thinking about Urbosa and her ribbon, I might not be able to stop._

****

Mipha turned towards the Shrine and pointed a finger to the small alcove where a circular pad engraved with the eye of the Sheikah sat. "I need you and Urbosa to stand on that, if you could." 

****

Revali and Urbosa shared a glance; perhaps unsurprisingly, one wore a skeptic scowl while the other sported a fashionable smirk. As the pair moved into position, Revali realized that the pedestal had been designed with only one person in mind. He quickly found his shoulder pressed into the stonework of the Shrine's walls as he leaned away form Urbosa. Unfortunately, his attempts to maintain a respectful distance were thwarted as the Gerudo warrior sidled up to him; apparently, personal space was a foreign concept to Urbosa. 

****

"Do you mind?" hissed Revali to the Champion at his side, wrapping his wings around himself self-consciously. "Are you completely oblivious to the concept of personal space?" 

****

Urbosa did nothing but glance down at the uncomfortable Rito and give him a playful wink in response. Revali tried his best to ignore the pleasant flutter that meandered around his heart, but it was harder to do than he remembered. _This has just been getting worse ever since we came down from Polymus,_ thought Revali helplessly. _I swear, the Gerudo must have dormant mind-control powers or something of the like. It's the only explanation as to why I feel this way. Why she does this to me every time she smiles or winks or laughs or does_ anything _at all…_ The Rito tossed a cautious glance back up to Urbosa, who was busy fiddling with the straps of her shield. _I can't be in love with her,_ thought the Rito almost pleadingly. _I don't know how to care for someone other than myself._

****

_I'm scared._

****

The realization sent a soul-rattling chill through Revali's entire being. His ego and pride exploded in a desperate attempt to overshadow it, but the damage was already done. He'd had the thought and it wouldn't go away; Revali was terrified, of both his feelings and of what they meant. _I'm going to lose my sanity if I don't stop._

****

"What exactly are we doing, Mipha?" asked Revali testily, trying so very har to keep the tremor from his voice. "Are we just going to stand her all day for your amusement?" 

****

Mipha, despite her lingering anger, flushed a bit at his accusation. "Of course not," reassured the Zora girl. She hastily padded her way over to the Shrine's terminal, Sheikah Slate in hand. She paused for a moment to look Revali in the eye. "Just know that if my brother could survive one of these things without the Slate, then the two of you should be able to survive." 

****

"Wait," interjected Urbosa, concern finally prying its way into her voice. "What do you mean, _survive?"_

****

"Good luck!" before either Champion could react, Mipha turned the Slate over and swiped it across the face of the pedestal. Immediately, the Sheikah symbols beneath their feet ignited in a flash of blue light. Streaks of translucent blue energy appeared, and the pedestal suddenly began its descent into the Shrine. Darkness now shrouded the two Champions, the only source of light being the dim glow of the Sheikah emblem at their feet. 

****

"What did she just do?" asked Revali with equal parts unease and annoyance. 

****

Urbosa sighed and ran her hand through her hair before looking down at Revali. "She just sent us both into the Shrine," said the chieftess with a tired glance. "In case you were wondering, I blame you for this." 

****

"Of course you do," scoffed Revali, crossing his wings. 

****

Urbosa barked a humorless laugh and shook her barely-illuminated head. "Don't even bother with the denial, Peacock. You know what you did." 

****

"Mipha's too sensitive." 

****

"You insulted Link to her face. Did you expect her to shake your hand and thank you for your insight?" 

****

Revali grumbled and turned his beak up. "Whatever. I still think he's not as heroic as all of you make him out to be." 

****

"As opposed to whom?" asked Urbosa, a shadowed hand coming to rest on her hip. "You? You're not exactly a shining example of heroism, either." For some reason, even though he'd heard the words countless times before, it hurt more than it usually did to hear Urbosa say it. As such, he didn't respond. Especially with the inner dialogue he'd had with himself on the surface, Revali didn't trust himself to speak quite yet. 

****

Another sigh came from the Gerudo-shaped silhouette that loomed over him. "I'm sorry, Revali. That was out of line." 

****

"You've got that right," huffed Revali, crossing his wings and doing his best to look indignant. That said, he almost jumped a foot off the ground when he felt a warm hand rest on his shoulder and tug him in Urbosa's direction. The Gerudo pulled him into a sort of sideways embrace, which is to say that she practically smothered the poor Rito. He felt his cheek rest against the cool material of Urbosa's breastplate, and he was suddenly grateful for the darkness that hid the embarrassment that was no doubt glowing in his face. 

****

"I still care," murmured Urbosa, although Revali wasn't sure if her words were meant for him or if she was trying to remind herself. "Despite all the flack I give you, I care." 

****

Revali was thankfully spared from having to come up with a reply as the pedestal slowed itself down and came to a stop. Lights from inside the Shrine blazed on, and Revali was too busy covering his adjusting eyes to be disappointed as Urbosa pulled her arm away to do the same. 

****

"What in Din's name…" 

****

The walls of the Shrine were unlike anything he'd ever seen. Everything was a stark white, flat, and cubical. The walls were made of a strange metal-like surface that had little ridges in them, like pores. Bright white light blared from the ceiling, cleanly illuminating every square centimeter of the room, which wasn't much bigger than an average-sized Hylian living room. On the far side of the room, opposite the elevator, was the only splash of color in the room; a circular grey door with the image of a blue stick-person running off to one side. 

****

Both Champions stepped off the pedestal and continued to look around in awe. "What is this place?" asked Revali, able to forget his pride in lieu of shock. 

****

"I have no idea," replied Urbosa, looking around. "I know Sidon said the architecture was unlike anything in Hyrule, but this isn't what I imagined when—" 

****

**_"Hello,"_ said a booming voice that came from nowhere, but sounded like it was coming from everywhere. Both Urbosa and Revali nearly jumped out of their skins at hearing it. _"And, again, welcome to the Aperture Science computer-aided Enrichment Center."_**

"Where is that voice coming from?" whispered Urbosa, her hand moving over to the hilt of her scimitar. 

"I have absolutely no idea," replied Revali with a frown. 

"Well, Sidon said he heard a voice," recalled Urbosa, still searching the walls for a clue to the origins of the voice. "Maybe this is what he was talking about?" Revali's frown deepened. _Somehow, I doubt that._

_"We hope your brief detention in the elevator has been a pleasant one,"_ continued the disembodied voice. It sounded choppy and unnatural, but also distinctly feminine. _"We are now ready to begin testing proper. Before we start, however, keep in mind that although fun and learning are the primary goals of all Enrichment Center activities, serious injuries may occur. The door will open in three… two… one."_

The circular door suddenly split apart from the middle and slid to each side, revealing another all-white room on the other side. Revali and Urbosa glanced at each other. The look on the Gerudo's face completely matched the confusion and unease Revali was feeling. He raised an eyebrow, silently asking whether she thought going forward was worth it or not. The only response he got was a shrug of indifference. _Can't argue with that, I suppose…_ Still, as the pair advanced, Revali shifted his bow around in apprehension. 

The next room they entered was the same as the one before except for the pair of raised red buttons on opposite sides of the room. A thunk sounded behind Revali, and his blood chilled another degree or two as he realized their way back was blocked off. 

_"Today you will be testing with a partner,"_ continued the voice. _"Please wave to your partner."_

Revali scoffed. "Seriously? Wave? What kind of testing is this?" 

_"The Enrichment Center requires me to remind you that all test subjects must comply with all computer-aided instructions. Failure to do so will result in penalization of science collaboration points."_

_"What_ points?" _This isn't making any sense at all._

Urbosa turned to face Revali. "Just do what it says, Peacock. Smile and wave at me." With no small amount of Rito grumbling, the pair of Champions waved to each other. 

_"Very good,"_ commended the voice. _"In order to measure your compatibility as teammates, please press the two buttons located within the test chamber."_

Urbosa made her way to the button of their left, and Revali to the one on the right. Still feeling uneasy about the situation, however, meant that the Rito hesitated in pressing his button while Urbosa activated her immediately. 

_"Orange is the first to press a button,"_ commentated the voice. Being called 'Orange' drew a strange head tilt from Urbosa, and Revali pressed his button just to see what else the voice would say. _"Blue has now pressed a button. Finally."_

"Hey!" protested Revali while Urbosa erupted into laughter. 

_"For remarkable button-locating skills, Orange is awarded five points,"_ lauded the voice. _"Again, these are science collaboration points, which you should not confuse with points from competitions such as Who-Gets-to-Live-at-the-End-and-Who-Doesn't. I mean, basketball."_

Urbosa frowned from across the room. "One of us is going to be killed at the end of this?" 

_"You have completed the teamwork calibration test,"_ continued the voice, ignoring the Gerudo's question. _"Congratulations. Please proceed into the next chamber to begin proper testing."_

The pair regrouped in the center of the chamber as the door opened, revealing yet another all-white chamber beyond it. Revali crossed his wings and eyed the new room warily. "I don't like this," he muttered to Urbosa. 

"Neither do I," she agreed. "We'll have to stay alert. I don't entirely trust our little overseer, either. Besides…" She sent a quick glance at the now-open doorway. "… we can't backtrack. The only way out—" 

"Is through," completed Revali darkly. "Fine. Let's get this over with." It wasn't something he was going to admit aloud any time this century, but Revali was immensely grateful that Urbosa was with him. Just for her combat prowess, though. 

The next room was considerably larger than the previous two. It was furnished with the same porous white panels and blinding white lights, but there were a few panels that were propped up one level higher, creating a waist-high half-wall with a small gap in the middle. On the complete other side of the room, over by the chamber's door, three boxes sat evenly space apart. They had an odd design on them that neither Champion recognized. 

_"Unfortunately,"_ relayed the voice from above, _"due to scheduled maintenance, the appropriate chamber for this testing sequence is currently unavailable. It has been replaced with a live-fire course designed for military androids."_

"Military what?" Urbosa's questioning went unheard as three claws descended from the ceiling and lifted the covers off the boxes. In their place now stood three odd oval-shaped devices. They stood on three spindly black legs, had a white shell, and a darkened circle in their exact centers. Despite their relatively harmless appearance, Revali couldn't shake the feeling of dread that lingered on his spine. 

_"The Enrichment Center apologizes for any inconvenience and wishes you the best of luck,"_ continued the voice, and Revali was sure he heard the tiniest bit of joy slip into its tone. _"In the event that either of you survive, cake and grief counseling will be available at the conclusion of the test."_

Revali would have questioned the mention of cake and counseling, but as soon as the voice finished speaking, the eye on each of the three devices flared to life in a flash of red. Three tracking beams centered themselves on Revali's chest, and he didn't have to know what the machines were capable of to know what was coming. 

_"There you are."_

"Take cover!" 

Revali dove for the half-wall in a panic, falling to his knees and pressing his back up against it. Loud noises flooded the test chamber, and Revali watched in shock as the door they'd just come through was peppered with hundreds of tiny dents as the turrets fired round after round. They stopped after a few seconds and spoke up again. 

_"Is anyone there?"_

_"Could you come over here?"_

_"Are you still there?"_

The Rito glanced over to the other side of the room and heaved a quiet sigh of relief upon realizing that Urbosa had also escaped the crossfire unscathed. The Gerudo had replicated Revali's duck-and-cover movement, and was now crouched against the other half-wall whilst spitefully glaring at him. 

"If we don't get out of here alive, I'm killing you." 

"Like this is my fault!" retorted the Rito. "There's no way I could have known this was waiting for us down here. Besides, _Mipha_ was the one who set us down here in the first place. It'd be her fault in the likely event that we die." 

Urbosa scoffed. "Remind me, who could have made her so angry that she'd want to send us down here alone?" she asked with a glare. "We just need a plan to disable them." 

"Ah, yes," said Revali with an empty laugh. "Just disable the killing machines without the convenient teleportation device that's usually necessary to defeat these things." 

"Well," said Urbosa with a none-too-subtle eyeroll, "since _that_ crossover isn't happening anytime soon, why not use our own skills? We're not entirely powerless, you know." 

Revali huffed and crossed his wings. "Then you come up with a plan, if you're so certain." A small silence eclipsed the two, broken only by the occasional whirr or inquisitive _'hello?'_ from the turrets. In spite of his indignance, the Rito realize that his voluptuous companion had a point. They weren't helpless; Revali had his bow, and Urbosa her scimitar and shield. 

_The logical move would be for me to pick off each turret one by one,_ concluded the archer. _No matter what these things are made of, a bomb arrow to the face ought to take them down._ That didn't account for the problem of time, though. Revali was the fastest draw in Hyrule, but the speed at which the turrets fired was unbeatable, if the earlier display was anything to go by. Despite all his ego, Revali was able to recognize when he was outclassed. Now, whether he would admit it aloud or not was another story entirely. 

"Well?" asked the Rito eventually, stumped. "Any bright ideas?" 

Urbosa gave an absent _hmm,_ before snapping her fingers (thankfully sans-lightning). "Ducks!" she proclaimed proudly. "They're what water rolls off of." 

Revali blinked, certain that he misheard. "Ducks?" 

"Yes," confirmed Urbosa with a sage nod. "Sorry, that had been bugging me for the last half hour. Just couldn't think of it when we were on the roof." 

"Right," said Revali slowly, as though his Gerudo companion were five years old. "Well, if you've finally decided to join us, this month on _The Champions' Ballad,_ you and I get trapped in a death chamber with three murder-bots that have an unbeatable reaction time and you're sitting here thinking about Farore-damned _ducks!"_

The Gerudo chieftess just chuckled quietly. Revali felt a few more coals get tossed into the growing bonfire that was his rage. Her chuckles quickly grew into full-out laughs, and Revali had a very easy time imagining steam pouring out of his ears. 

"Why are you laughing?" asked Revali with barely restrained anger. "Does the prospect of imminent death amuse you?" 

"No," replied Urbosa with a dismissive wave. "I'm more amused by the fact that you've somehow forgotten that I have a shield." 

"You want to use it to block the shots?" realized Revali aloud, and he mentally kicked himself for not having thought of it sooner. "You sure that's the strategy you want to use?" 

"It's our only option. I draw the fire and you pick them off with your bow." 

"Alright," relented Revali, shifting himself into a crouch and slipping his Great Eagle Bow off his shoulder and into his wings. "Let's do it, then." 

Urbosa scoffed, but she still unsheathed her weapons regardless. "What, no scathing remarks about how foolish it is to be the bait against a weapon we've never seen before?" 

"No. I've just come around to accept the fact that you're absolutely insane." 

"What does that say about you if you're willing to follow my lead?" 

"It says you've infected me with your madness." 

"Love you too, Peacock. Ready?" 

"Whatever." 

After a quick hair flip to clear her vision, Urbosa boosted to her feet, raised Daybreaker in front of her torso, ducked her head down, and braced for impact. The turrets' targeting lasers quickly zeroed in on Urbosa's shield and they spoke again, murmuring phrases of greeting that were drowned out in the pandemonium that ensued after they opened fire. Daybreaker, thankfully, was strong enough to deflect the shots, although Urbosa had to widen her stance to grit her teeth in order to not be sent flying backwards from the force. She actually looked rather striking, the Rito grudgingly allowed himself to think. Her lithe but muscled frame tensed and quivered under the onslaught of the turrets, and— 

"REVALI!" snapped the Gerudo warrior. "What part of _pick them off with your bow_ did you not understand?" 

"It's called visualization!" Revali shot back, which wasn't _technically_ a lie. "Don't get your skirt in a twist." Now firmly back in the real world, the Rito archer rose to his feet, nocked a trio of bomb arrows, took aim, and let them fly. Each turret stopped firing as they simultaneously erupted into balls of flame. They made yelping _"Owowowow"_ noises until they exploded, one by one, in another big ball of errant flame and acrid smoke. Urbosa and Revali relaxed their stances and lowered their weapons, although they didn't stow them away just quite yet. 

"… Is that it?" asked the Rito cautiously. 

"I certainly hope so," replied Urbosa with a tired sigh. She started looking around the chamber, and Revali saw her brows knit together. 

"What is it?" 

"The door's not open," noted Urbosa, raising her shield instinctively. "That, and our passive-aggressive tour guide hasn't said anything for a while, either." 

Revali shrugged. "Well, if it won't open by itself…" The Riot let his comment rail off as he nocked another trio of bomb arrows and launched them at the door, shrouding the sturdy metal in a ball of flame. Unfortunately, apart from a few minor dings and scorch marks, the door remained relatively unharmed. Revali reached into his quiver for more ammunition, and— 

_"What are you doing?"_ interrupted the disembodied voice, her tone harboring a very satisfying note of panic. _"Stop it! I… I… We are pleased that you made it through the final challenge where we pretended we were going to murder you."_

"Pretend?" asked Urbosa, eyebrow raised as Revali grudgingly relaxed his stance. "So, we were never in any danger." 

_"Regrettably,"_ confirmed the voice. _"Aperture Laboratories has yet to develop a bullet that can pierce plot armor."_

Revali rolled his eyes and groaned. "Great. Another one." 

_"Without danger, these tests mean nothing,"_ the voice lamented, its tone oddly downtrodden. The door Revali had been bombing hissed open suddenly, startling the two Champions. _"So, you know what? You win. Just go."_

"I thought you wanted us dead," insisted Revali, not content with simply being spared. "Don't tell me you just up and got cold feet when I pulled out some bomb arrows." 

_"You two are quite the team,"_ replied the voice. _"Extremely close. I have only met one other team closer, and one of them was an imbecile that I had to destroy. The other? Well…"_ There was a brief pause. _"I don't think I want to go through that again."_

Urbosa and Revali shared a glance, and the Rito was slightly relieved to see unease reflected in the Gerudo's stare. The pair turned their head in unison to the now-open door. The next room was shrouded in darkness, though there was a faint orange glow emanating from deeper within. They walked inside the final chamber and the door immediately slammed closed behind them, but the Champions hardly noticed; they were transfixed on the source of the pale orange light. On a raised platform sat a brown, cylindrical object with a singe candle stuck in it, the tiny flame flickering erratically in the stale air. 

Revali's brow furrowed. "Is that… cake?" Just as he spoke, his and Urbosa's bodies dissolved into a stream of blue tendrils, having been called back to the surface by the Sheikah Slate. In the moment just before they disappeared completely, Revali absently wondered what Mipha's reaction would be to a retelling of their odd misadventure. _Knowing her, she'd probably ignore the part where we discovered new technology unrelated to the Sheikah in lieu of reading too much into our bickering._

Once the pair of Champions were gone, silence once again fell over the innards of the Shrine. Then, a panel opened from the ceiling of the final chamber. A robotic claw lowered itself to the cake, and it quietly extinguished the candle with a quick pinch. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, I was having some fun in this chapter. Kudos to anyone who can pick out one of the many references I made in this chapter aside from the in-your-face Portal one. (Which can almost be considered canon since we never go into the Citadel in BOTW and Aperture outsourced the construction of test chambers to other earths in the multiverse, so that could have been a Sheikah-designed test chamber that was never reclaimed by Aperture because everything went to heck).
> 
> The tone has been fairly heavy since Unwavering Emotions, so I wanted to make a chapter that was almost entirely just light-hearted fun. Hence the copious amounts of references. In spite of that, I also decided to give N an even larger role in the over-arching story of Hyrule than I intended. I just like his character too much to relegate him to cameos, and he has a fresh forget-everything-you-think-you-know wisdom that the eternal-cycle-of-good-and-evil Hyrule needs.
> 
> Next chapter will pinball us over to the Death Mountain group, and that'll be a bit more purposeful since there are some relationships in that trio that need development.
> 
> As always, thanks for reading and be sure to tell me what you think!


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